The Beast Within Us
by Crazy Girl Person
Summary: Robin and Beast Boy go together about as well as a toaster in a bathtub. But they're going to have to overcome their differences if they want to survive their newest challenge. It's not a slash! Yay! Full summary inside.
1. Living Arrangements

Summary: This story explores the relationship between Robin and Beast Boy. It is not a slash. They are left alone in the tower for a whole week and with the personality clash its not long before problems arise. After an argument the beast within Beast Boy emerges once again and to make matters worse it appears within Robin as well. Can they set their differences aside or will they end up killing innocent people and each other in a fit of blind rage?

A/N: Robin and Beast Boy have hardly any interaction and when they do it's usually negative. I feel that there really needs to be an episode that explores their relationship and perhaps marks some sort of metamorphasis in their relation to each other. As no episode currently exists this fic has been written. Plus I would like to expand more on the beast within Beast Boy.

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 1: Living Arrangements

Robin exited the shower with an unenthusiastic groan. Beast Boy was probably awake by now and making breakfast for the two remaining Titans. A whole week alone with Beast Boy; Robin was so overjoyed he could gouge his eyes out after swallowing glass. Running a towel through his hair the teen wondered just how it had come to this. Starfire had received a transmission from Galfore requesting her presents on Tamaran. Raven had insisted that she needed time alone, perhaps relating to Slade's return, and left on a walk about. Cyborg had a scheduled maintenance with Fixit, though Cy had said that _he_ would be the one doing most of the fixing . . . whatever that meant.

Now Robin understood that his teammates had their own lives. They needed time off now and then to reflect, repair, or engage with whatever personal affairs that had come up. But all at the same freakin' time leaving him alone in the company of the green changeling? This was too much. Not that he hated Beast Boy or anything. On the contrary he was one of his closest friends. However his obnoxious tendency to play prank after prank and take almost nothing seriously was enough to rattle the raven-haired boy's last nerve. He was tolerable in small bits or when the others were around to distract him. But he had no such cover this time. Robin honestly didn't know if he was going to make it.

Now dry and very clean, Robin began dressing himself as his stomach rumbled. This, of course, reminded him that tofu was probably going to sneak its way onto the menu and every meal for the upcoming week. Tofu was okay. Tofu was actually quite good at times. Alas, tofu reminded him of Beast Boy, reminding him of his current situation, reminding him of just how different they were. Beast Boy was a social creature while Robin was reclusive at times. He clicked his utility belt and snapped on his mask already beginning to feel a small migrane of the tension to come. With only the two of them in the tower odds were he was going to pester him while he was trying to do research. This could turn out to be a really tiring week. A sigh escaped him as he exited his room and made his way towards the kitchen where the smell of tofu eggs was already winding down the hallway. While not his first choice in food, Robin was some what glad that breakfast was prepared.

_Maybe this won't be so bad._ He thought attempting a try at Starfire's endless optimism. _At least he knows how to cook . . . kinda._

Beast Boy woke up that morning in a content state and stretched out on his messy bed. Yawning and ruffling his green matted hair he changed out of his boxers and into his custom jumpsuit. For those first few minutes he had forgotten that Cyborg wasn't around to play endless rounds of Gamestation, Star wouldn't be there to stuff nasty alien pudding down his throat, and Raven would not be a target for his arsenal of animal based jokes.

_Oh yeah, they're not here._ Beast Boy let out a large sigh and nudge one of his tatter game magazines with his foot. A whole week with Robin was like winning a trip to a luxury resort with the strictest principal on the planet. The guy had, in Beast Boy's opinion, a permanent wedgie. He was always uptight about every little thing and would act like the world was coming to and end should the tiniest thing go awry. Why, oh why, did the others have to leave him alone with Robin of all people?

Not that Beast Boy hated Robin. On the contrary he was one of his closest friends. However he was always so bossy, rude and arrogant it was enough to rattle the changeling to his last nerve. He took almost everything seriously and never wanted to have anything to do with pranks or good friendly fun. He was tolerable in small bits or when the others were around to distract him. But he had no such cover this time. Beast Boy honestly didn't know if he was going to make it.

Feeling hungry, he made his way to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Upon stepping into the hallway he could almost instantly hear Robin's shouts and pounding on the punching bag from the gym. Always so serious and always training. He figured the kung-fu lunatic would be rather hungry after such a rigorous workout. It would be nice to make enough for him as well and perhaps he wouldn't be so grumpy later on that day if he had a nice breakfast. Entering the kitchen Beast Boy began whipping up his special tofu egg batter. Robin would probably want some bacon on the side but there was no way he was touching any meat.

Alas, listening to the batter sizzle as it met the frying pan Beast Boy was reminded of their difference in diets and thus the difference in their personalities. Beast Boy needed human interaction. He was a social teen and Robin had a tendency to lock himself up in his room. How was he going to keep from going insane with no one to talk to? This could turn out to be a really boring week.


	2. The Argument

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 2: The Argument

As Beast Boy poured the tofu waffle batter into the iron, the door to the living room opened with a hiss. "Good morning." Robin said as he ruffled and smoothed back his hair much to Beast Boy's amusment. It was quite obvious that he was applying the finishing touches to his hair gel in order to obtain his trademark spikey doo. The changeling suppressed a small chuckle as the other Titan walked over to the table, grabbing yesterday's unfinished paper. "Morning." Beast Boy responded, glancing over his shoulder. At least not everything about Robin was boring. _Just most things._ He thought as Robin instantly became engrossed in the paper and left no hint that Beast Boy's response had been heard.

He studied the other boy as he scooped the cooked eggs onto a plate. There was rarely a moment when the two of them were alone and now they would be this way for a whole week. With the others around it was easy for Beast Boy to spout off whatever was on his mind. One way or another he knew he would get a response from someone, be it positive or not.

With breakfast finished, Beast Boy carried the plates over to the table. "So," Beast Boy started, the silence was already aching. Robin barely glanced up from the paper but acknowledged that he was listening. "What do you want to do today? We could play Gamestation or head over to the organic store. I really need to pick up some more tofu."

"Sorry, Beast Boy. I have work to do." Robin said without hesitation.

"What work?" Beast Boy responded with annoyance thick in his voice. He should have figured this would happen. "Aside from the occasional robbery, things have been pretty slow."

"And now there's only two of us." Folding up the paper and setting it down, Robin accepted the plate of tofu waffles and eggs Beast Boy had slid his way. He took a bite of the substitute chicken product and continued. "We're going to have our work cut out for us. We need to be prepared."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and took a bite out of his own food. "How are we going to be prepared if you tire yourself out 'working' all the time?" He did manage to get the Teen Wonder to cock an eyebrow at that statement but he did respond right away. Beast Boy held his glance as he took a sip of soy milk. Robin held his as well while cutting up a piece of tofu waffle. Was Robin actually contemplating what Beast Boy had said or merely waiting to see if there was anything else he had to say? Assuming the latter, as it was most likely true, Beast Boy continued. "Why can't you just take a break from working? There's no huge crimes that need to be solved and you could stand to lighten up a bit."

"I can't afford that luxury. We can't allow ourselves to drop our guard."

Beast Boy sighed. This was going to be a very boring week indeed. After breakfast the day just got worse. Beast Boy was able to entertain himself through Gamestation and comic books, but after a short hour it was getting boring as well. He attempted to play with Silkie but the worm seemed more interested in sleeping. Letting out an exasperated groan, Beast Boy paced around the room getting more and more restless by the minute. The changeling was starting to recall why he disliked zoos as he felt much like an animal caged up. The energy coursing through his body cried for some sort of release and with no one to hang out with it was, for the most part, impossible. _Maybe I should hand myself over to the zoo._ Beast Boy thought. _At least there would be other people there!_

Robin had locked himself in his room right after breakfast and was writing furiously in his crime files. Beast Boy's enhanced hearing could pick up on the almost constant sound of scratching on paper and pounding on a keyboard whenever he passed by his room. It was driving him nuts. His muscle began to tense as bordem and loneliness swelled in his chest. Unconsciously his feet began stomping the floor as his pace around the room quickened. He honestly could not begin to understand how Robin work all day.

Driven by madness, Beast Boy boldly marched out of his room and towards that of the other Titan. However, his courage began to deplete with each step. Soon he found himself standing outside Robin's door and much more hesitant than he was when he began his short walk. His fist hovered in the air for several minutes and ached to be brought down on the door before it. He denied its request and chewed on his lip as second thoughts began filling the more rational part of his brain. Robin would definitely NOT want to be disturbed. He would probably just yell at him and slam the door in his face.

Robin could be rather intimidating at times. With a small sense of dread, Beast Boy began to draw back from the door. He then remembered what he would be going back to if he just turned tail. Another hour of boredom would turn into another, then another, until he eventually chewed his arm off in an attempt to stay sane. Besides, even if he was yelled at it would be at least _some_ human interaction.

Feeling bold once again, Beast Boy quickly pounded his fist on the door before his mind could change. The sound of firm footsteps drawing closer in response almost made him loose his nerve again but he managed to stay put. He struggled to hold together slightly as the door open and revealed the workaholic teen on the other side. "Something the matter?" Robin said before Beast Boy could take a breath. His words were cut and clean as they passed through stiff and rapid lips. Serious as usual, it was apparent Robin wanted to be rid of his guest and get back to work. Beast Boy was not about to back down. "I think you need to take a break." Beast Boy said and stiffened once again as if to brace himself. "You've been in your room all day."

"I can't Beast Boy. I have a lot of work to do." Robin said. The changeling felt the beast within stir in response to the authority that dripped from his voice. Already his hand was resting upon the console to the door and his index finger tapped the side of the wall, as if itching to caress the 'close' button. "Do not bother me unless it is important."

"No!"

Beast Boy was slightly surprised by his own outburst as was Robin whose hand had froze and eyes grew slightly. Even in a moment of uncharactaristic courageousness by another teammate Robin kept a concrete grip on himself. With only the slight raise of eyebrows, hidden behind his ever present mask, Beast Boy felt the beast squirm once more at the other boy's reaction. Perhaps it was not so much shock as it was anger that he would defy him and such a thought only compelled the changeling to continue not allowing Robin to get a word. "I mean, you talk with Starfire and play video games with Cy. Why is this any different?"

"All of us were here and available. Now that its just us we need to be ready." Robin's reply was calm, though still commanding, as his eyes had already returned to their natural size.

"There's nothing to be ready for! Why are you being so paranoid! You're almost as creepy as Raven and that's saying something! Why can't you just have some fun for once?"

"Why can't you ever take anything seriously?" Robin retorted, allowing his voice to match Beast Boy's volume. With the change in voice came another change in his eyes, though this time they were narrowed into menacing slits. "Our job takes priority and all you want to do is goof off!"

"All I want is for you to come out of your room and stop acting like a hermit! If you have to work, why not use the main computer in the living room? Why are you locking yourself away?"

"To stay away from you!"

Beast Boy may as well have been punched. He stumbled back a few steps as his green eyes grew to the size of saucers. The horrific sense of rejection and betrayel passed through him first before he sensed rage begin to boil in his stomach. The small hint of 'should have known better' whispering in the back of his mind did not help either and soon Beast Boy found it a bit more difficult to breath than normal. An icy blast of shame and affirmation washed over Robin as he watched Beast Boy's breath become shallow and fast. Bitter self hatred sliced through him as it became all to apparent he had gone too far. Just as stunned with himself, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Beast Boy could feel the beast within him stir once more as if expressing discomfort for the rising temperature in his chest. Clenching his fists, he glared at Robin with one of the fiercest looks he could muster. "You are the biggest _jerk_ I have _ever_ known!"

Turning on heel Beast Boy stormed down the hallway in stiff movements. At the sight of the green retreating form, Robin scarcely managed to push his emotions aside. His brain too incoherent to form anything more, he attempted to call his fellow Titan back. "Beast Boy! Beast Boy, wait!" Beast Boy broke into a sprint in response. While part of him wanted to go after him he decided it would be best to give the changeling some time to cool off. As his friend disappeared from sight Robin let out a frustrated growl and punched the wall. "Nice one Boy Wonder!" he grumbled. "Real nice . . ."

The wind swirled around the lone figure nestled securely on the hilltop just adjacent to a large body of water. Placing his binoculars against his eyes he watched the T-shaped tower that stood proudly on the only piece of land between the two parallel shores of the city. The evening before he had witnessed three figures leave the tower. One orange-purplish figure shot out into the sky, seemingly into space, and had yet to return. Another had left in a peculiar looking car that seemed to have hovering abilities as it skidded gracefully over the water. The third appeared to be a large black bird and soared out into the horizon. Now he watched as one more figure emerged. It was a green eagle.

The bird appeared to be in quite a rush as he dove from the tower's roof top. Steering himself towards down town Jump the man could not help but notice the bird's movements were swift and curt. The way he flapped his wings seemed as if he were trying to strike down the air beneath him in an attempt to relieve brewing aggression. He was angry. Very angry. The man smiled. "Sometimes these kids just make it too easy."


	3. Revenge

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 3: Revenge

Beast Boy angrily stomped down the park's walkway, kicking various stones in frustration. "Stupid jerk!" he growled as he gave a discarded can a good boot and watched it fly out of sight. "I was just trying to be nice! He really needs to pull the stick out!" Beast Boy continued mumbling to himself as he clomped through the park. He walked with his head down and arms crossed over his chest in a defensive manner so he remained oblivious to his surroundings until a voice called out and startled him.

"Hey green!"

Jumping slightly, Beast Boy spun around and caught site of a slushy stand. Despite having been to the park on several occasions this was the first time he had seen the slushy vendor. Hot dog and ice cream stands were quite abundant and popular to as well though a slushy stand seemed a tad out of wack. Yet this new addition to outdoor concession seemed to be an instant hit. Beast Boy took notice of the several park patrons carrying slushy cups, the small line of customers, and the slushy vender looking straight at him. The vender waved him over and Beast Boy complied curious as to what he could want with him.

"I couldn't help but notice you looking a bit down in the dumps." He said, handing a frosty beverage to one of the customers. Beast Boy looked the vendor over. He appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. He had short blond hair, brown eyes, a white sans sleeve shirt and blue apron; just about what one could expect from a humble stand worker. _Robin's infecting me with his paranoia._ Beast Boy thought feeling a taste of bitterness in his mouth upon being reminded of the other Titan. While a slushy stand was a strange concept there appeared to be nothing malicious about it. "So what's got you down, kiddo?" the worker continued.

"Just my stupid roommate!" Beast Boy spat while kicking up a cloud of dirt in frustration. "He's such a jerk! I try being nice to him and he just shuts me out like nothing! He didn't even thank me for making breakfast!" The vendor cocked and eyebrow and gave a smile of empathy in response. "Seems like you've had a rough day, huh green?" He reached for a cup and crouched below the counter for some other ingredients. "How about a slushy on the house? You look like you could cool down a bit." Beast Boy perked up slightly. "Free? Really?"

The vendor reappeared having just poured some syrup flavoring into the cup and began adding the frosty mix to it from the soft serve nozzle. "Well, you're a Teen Titan aren't you? Think of it as my way of thanking you for all you kids do for our city."

"Cool! Thanks!"

The vendor handed Beast Boy a bright green slushy which the changeling took with watery eyes of gratitude. "All right! Lime flavored!" he spouted happily. "Actually it's . ." the vendor attempted to correct but broke off noticing Beast Boy had already consumed half of the beverage. " . .watermelon."

"Its good!" Chimed the teen. "Thanks again dude!" Beast Boy waved at the vendor and continued on his way. Though he was still very peeved at the events of that morning he was in lighter spirits. He continued indulging on the beverage while admiring the clear sky and general warm feeling of the city park. Not like the tower which now currently housed the angsty brooding . . "butt-munch." Beast Boy hissed and bit down on the straw between his teeth.

Just the thought of Robin caused his newfound good mood to fizzle like water placed on a hot stove. Taking angry and hasty gulps of his drink, Beast Boy's pace quickened through the park as if trying to out walk the anger brewing inside him once more. The rapid and stiff swings his arms and legs took as he continued, almost as if he were beating the unfortunate air molecules and dirt that got in his way, did prove to be somewhat therapeutic. While walking fast did not necessarily help relieve the emotion it did assist in keeping it suppressed. As unlucky as Beast Boy's day was going this proved only to be temporary. The gentle laughter of children at play was normally a rather pleasing sound to someone with his disposition. True there was the occasional high pitch shriek that would send one's eardrum throbbing, but for the most part the sounds were gentle and sunny. Occasionally, just seeing younger children romp through the park without a care in the world would bring a smile to the changeling's face. Being a social creature Beast Boy could content himself to watching their games. Now, in his current state, he could hardly bring himself to look at them. It was not so much the noise that was grating on him but rather the fact that it were almost as if they were taunting him. Starving for companionship, and knowing he'd be without it for a good week, he felt his fists tighten as the young children raced around the grass playing what appeared to be tag. He almost hated them as he grew inexplicitly jealous of their friendship. Beast Boy walked faster.

In spite of his mood for a brief moment he wondered if Robin had ever been like those children when he was younger. _Not likely. That moron wouldn't know fun if it bit him on the . . ._

"It's a Teen Titan!"

The changeling snapped his head up at the sound of a girlish voice. To his right he saw a group of girls around his age lounging on a local picnic table. One had her hand pointed straight at him while the other girls sighed in disappointment upon seeing which Titan was standing there. "It's just the green animal dude." One with blonde hair and a pink top sighed. The other girls groaned in agreement, save the one who had made the sighting, and Beast Boy grimaced in rejection for the second time that day. The girl that spotted him, who appeared to be the tomboy counterpart to her friends what with her skater type apparel and all, did not appear dissatisfied. "It's still cool! I mean, how often do we get to see one of them just walking around!" The green Titan felt a bit better at her defense but his feelings were soon crushed again as one of the other girls responded. "Yeah but its not like we saw Robin walking around."

"Yeah!" Another girl perked up. "He's the cute one!"

"Not to mention totally cool!" Spoke another.

Beast Boy's fist clenched around the slushy cup and for a moment he wished it had been Robin's neck. "Robin is not cool! He's mean, rude and self-centered!" he roared before his mind could registered what he was saying. It did not matter as even after the fact he had no regret in saying it. Beast Boy was always open and friendly. He was always trying to make people laugh and feel good. He risked his life everyday just like the others. So why did Robin always get the recognition, fan-base, and hot chicks swooning over him? He was not better than any other Titan.

Apparently, among the citizens of Jump City, this was not the general consensus. All of the girls, even the tomboy, appeared shocked that he would say such a terrible thing about their flawless idol. "It appears that the green animal dude is jealous." he heard one of them whisper. That was the final insult. Beast Boy's body began to shake like a volcano ready to erupt. And much like a volcano his anger followed through and burst from his crown, carrying a thick cover of lava that spread over his entire being. "Beast Boy!" He shouted. "My name is Beast Boy! Not green! Not animal dude! Not Teenage Mutant Ninja Furry! Beast Boy! ARRRG!" Not bothering to wait see their response he stomped away. The farther he got away from the rabid Robin fangirls the better. He resumed consuming his beverage and the gurgling of the straw as the icy substance passed through it proved to be a very comforting distraction. Yet it was not enough to keep his ears from over hearing the first stunned sentence by the girls since his outburst. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Furry?"

Beast Boy was safely out of earshot of the girls when his drink ran dry. Smashing the cup he threw it angrily in the first trash can he encountered. Though the free slushy was a nice perk in an other wise cruddy day an escape to the park appeared to be more nerve racking than relaxing for a changeling trying to calm down. Robin was all he could think about and it made him sick. Squeezing his eyes shut he could see his emotions playing out before him. Heart pounding with hate, he saw Robing standing before him in his mind with a smarmy look on his face as he had each arm draped over an admiring and very attractive female fan. His pulse rose as he watched himself emerge from battle, tattered and torn, only to have the leader turn up his nose and shoo him away like a gnat. The girls giggled in response and joined him in kicking dirt and dust in his face. He growled and reared back, ready and willing to attack despite his injuries. Robin was not impressed. _"Do you want to do something?" _he taunted, bored and no where near feeling threatened. The girls did appear somewhat frightened by his attempt to provoke Robin and clung to his arms. _"Relax ladies. He doesn't have the nerve to try anything."_ He comforted them gently before turning his gaze to the younger teen. _"Do you, Beast **Boy**?"_ Reluctantly he backed down, having been worn out from the battle and knowing he probably would not stand a chance to begin with. He limbered away to lick his wounds while the three teens laughed at him. And he sat there and took the ridicule. He would allow them to look down upon him and brush him away. He always had in the past.

"Well not anymore!" he growled. There was only so much one could take before being pushed over the edge. Even though he knew what he had just witness was a product of his overactive imagination it was real enough for him to make a decision. He was going to end his reputation of a doormat one way or another. Transforming into a cheetah he sprinted down the park and back towards the tower. Resentment from the imaginary scenario filled him and he dug his claws into the dirt to propel his form faster. He clenched his teeth as his hunger for satisfaction grew and saliva dripped from his jaws in response. His pace rose to maximum and he leapt into the air, transforming into a falcon as he soared over the ocean. He pushed his wings against the wind as the T-tower became his most desired target. Gaining momentum, only one thought pulsated through his brain.

Robin was going to pay.


	4. The Beast Emerges

AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. I really appreciate your feedback. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is dying for some Rob and BB interaction in the show. Hopefully we'll see a bonding episode between them in season 5. Speaking of which, I must confess that this fanfic is inspired by the episode "Switched". This will become more apparent in the future chapters. I actually toyed with the idea of having them switch bodies but decided that it would be rather tacky. Plus I thought it was interesting that they showed a 'darker' side to Beast Boy and I wanted to expand on that.

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 4: The Beast Emerges

Robin paced around his room and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Stupid! How could I be so stupid!" he growled. The crime files he had been so diligently working on before lay ignored on his desk. After Beast Boy had stormed off he attempted to return to work but the confrontation had left him far too distracted to do anything more than stare at a single page for several minutes before realizing it. Guilt and anger bubbled within him to a point where it could not be ignored. "Barely even noon and already we get into an argument!" Robin leaned against the wall and let out a frustrated grunt. He brought two fingers to the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ease the oncoming headache. _Did I really mean what I said? Sure we don't really get along but . . ._ Robin sighed. "I really am a jerk."

A single beep echoed from the tower's alert system, informing Robin that the main doors had been opened. Beast Boy had returned no doubt or else the system would be screeching in unison with the alarm's flashing red lights. Walking over to his dresser he moved it and turned on the main hall surveillance camera just to be certain. His friends would accuse him of being paranoid should they know he had a hidden security camera console in his room. Normally he would not hide something like this, but the constant accusations that he was working too hard became rather unbearable to hear day after day. While he knew that his friends meant well he sometimes wondered if the stress he experienced was a result of his work or their constant hen pecking.

A lone green figure walked through the doors and Robin sighed. "Time to apologize." he mumbled. As bad as he felt he was almost hoping it were an intruder. That way he could at least let his aggression out. He took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling the butterflies scatter within. Robin knew he was wrong but he hated to have to admit it out loud. As a male and the leader of a very powerful team he had a bit of a pride problem. However as leader he also viewed himself as a man and a man should not run from responsibility. He grew somewhat annoyed with his reluctance to face Beast Boy. He had been wrong before, and admitted it to his team, so why did it seem so hard to apologize?

Robin forced himself out of his room and into the main hall. The instant he stepped from the safety of his private dwellings did he feel the unsettling tension in the air. It surrounded him in a thick coat of mist, causing his internal temperature to peak slightly as if he had just walked into a sauna. With each step that brought him down the hall he felt as if he were drawing closer to the mouth of a volcano ready to spew. In a way that appeared to be true when he turned the corner and caught his first real glimpse of Beast Boy since he had run off.

Robin was internally startled by the intensity his teammate displayed. It was not so much how the changeling was glaring at him murderously. It was not the way he stood before him with his arms crossed over his chest and feet together in a confident and superior manner he had scarcely, if ever, displayed before. Nor was it how every muscle in his body was stiff as steel though his insides visibly trembled from the pent up frustration inside. Someway or another, Robin could sense Beast Boy's emotions emitting from his body. It was not something he could see with his eyes, though he was clearly very angry still, or something he heard with his ears even if he could hear the mutant growling lowly from his throat. Robin's nose twitched ever so slightly as the tip of his tongue darted out to lick his upper lip. For a moment he felt the need to gag in response to the rancid sensation that filled his lungs and mouth. He could literally smell and taste the hate radiating from Beast Boy as if it were a foul smell lingering around a heap of dirty under garments. The Boy Wonder was not sure what to make of it. He speculated to himself, was it that _he_ had somehow acquired a new sense of empathy or that Beast Boy found a way to signal his feelings to all the senses. Either way, it raised a red flag in his brain.

Warning or not, if it was Beast Boy's goal to make Robin feel any more cruddy about the events of that morning it was working like a charm. He bit down on the reluctance that threatened to surface once more with a vengeance and was even more determined to apologize. _Well, here goes. _Determined as he was, it still did not become any easier. He took a petite gulp of air before approaching the fuming mutant. "Look, Beast Boy," he started. He forced himself to keep eye contact despite his body's desperate desire to look away. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it."

"Then why did you say it!" Beast Boy retorted fiercely. Robin flinched but only slightly. The acidic repulsion emitting from the green teen seemed to pulsate and thicken around him. He felt himself grow sick to his stomach. Robin understood the reason behind his actions but he could not justify what he had said even to himself. He could only hope to explain himself and see if Beast Boy would understand. However, as soon as he opened his mouth to respond he was cut off. "You know something, Robin? I was just trying to be nice!"

This time Robin did a little more than flinch. A small shot of shock ran up his spine as Beast Boy's tone became startlingly more ferocious. He unconsciously took a step back as the malicious mist concentrated around him. "But no matter what I do or how hard I try," Beast Boy continued, taking a step himself to keep a close distance between the other teen. "You're always a jerk to me!"

Beast Boy took another step forward but this time Robin held his ground. He knew that Beast Boy was trying to force him back and intimidate him. While he was still angry, and rightfully so, Robin was not about to let himself be pushed around. Braving the uncomfortable atmosphere as Beast Boy continued to make an advance Robin placed an open hand on his chest to stop him from getting any closer. This only provoked the changeling further and he responded with a feral growl. "Beast Boy," Robin spoke softly but still held authority in his voice. "I really am sorry but . . "

"You're not anywhere near as sorry as I'm gonna make you!"

With a ferocious roar, Beast Boy rushed forward and shoved the other teen with all his might. Normally, a shove from him would just send Robin stumbling a few steps at most. However the changeling had transformed during his charge and Robin was sent flying back several feet. He grunted as he slammed to the ground and quickly shook the dizziness off. Lifting his head, he was expecting to see a large green gorilla or goat charging at him. He gasped at what he saw instead, pushing himself up on his elbows and scooting back as the creature rapidly approached for the kill. "No!" His lips quivered slightly as the alarmed whisper fluttered from them. He forced a grip on himself and though his body did cease its mild shaking he could not drown the horror that overtook his mind. For there, towering above him, was something the team collectively hoped never to glimpse upon again. When it first appeared it not only threatened violent peril against one of their members, but threatened to forever swallow another within its primal nature and fury.

The beast had returned.


	5. A Fight Between Friends

A/N: This chapter was rather difficult. Fight and action scenes are definately not my forte. Though I had the battle planned out long before I had chapter 3 written putting it into writing has proven rather challenging. I feel that this is an area of writing I can certainly brush up upon. However while some agree with that I've had a few that have read this chapter and enjoyed the fight scene. I suppose it is that my writing of style is not geared towards action scenes so I write them differently than most authors would. Some prefer my method, some don't, but regardless I still have quite a bit of work to do in this area of fanfiction. I hope you will enjoy this chapter regardless.

**WARNING**: This chapter contains mild violence and blood. Nothing too serious though. Just about what you can expect from a PG movie but I thought it best to issue a warning even though this story has been given the fanfiction-net equivilant of a **PG **rating. There may or may not be mild swearing later on but I shall issue a warning once again if there is.

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 5: A Fight Between Friends

Robin was a brave young man. There was no doubt in anyone's mind about that. Jump City's population was all amazed by his courage and each time he would be spotted rushing head first into danger it always drew a cheer from the crowd. The city dearly loved their crime fighting teens who would gladly risk their lives to protect perfect strangers. Yet it was always Robin that got the most attention. Perhaps it was his lack of powers or mechanical enhancements or the way he would look death in the eye without flinching. His ability to keep cool and hand out commands to his teammates in even the most intense moments was also a very sought after skill. Robin was watched with envious eyes by the common citizens and many of which often fantasized about being him. If only they could be as brave, skilled, and in control as him. If only they could have the ability to protect themselves and their loved ones from danger.

If only they could see him now.

Robin could almost hear his heart hammering against his ribcage as a large dark shadow swallowed him whole. He trembled slightly under the green figure's fearsome eyes as he towered over him. It was true that he was afraid. He was always a little afraid when charging into battle. The slightest slip up; just one bad move and it could all be over. He was afraid, but the danger was hardly what was causing it. "Beast Boy . ." he whispered so softly he barely heard himself. Perhaps it was guilt, knowing that he had pushed his friend way beyond his limits. And then there was the shock that the normally gentle and fun loving Beast Boy would actually be driven to such violence against one of his own. Whatever the reason, a fight between friends was almost always the most terrifying battle one could face.

Robin rolled out of the way just as the beast's massive fists slammed into the floor. He scrambled to his feet and preformed a backflip to put some distance between himself and Beast Boy's primal alter ego. "Beast Boy! Stop!" he shouted in hopes of reaching his sane persona. The desperate pleas only seemed to agitate the beast further. He charged and took several swipes at the other boy letting out a frustrated roar with each hit that missed. Being trained in acrobatics since before he could remember Robin was able to dodge the attacks with ease. It is a shame that the same could not be said for the arm chairs that lined up the main hall nicely.

As furniture stuffing flitted through the air like confetti, Robin took out his bo staff and took in a deep breath. "Beast Boy! Listen to me!" He shouted, holding the bo infront of him for protection. The beast paid no mind and swiped furiously at him, which he ducked easily. "I'm your friend! Think about what you're doing!" Once again the words fell on deaf ears. Robin twisted his body to evade the rain of claws falling upon him. He gave a sharp gasp as one set of claws managed to catch him off guard and were sailing towards his head. His arms worked on instant reflex and the attack was successfully blocked by his staff but the force behind the blow was enough to knock him off balance. As suddenly as it all happened Robin found himself on his back and pinned down with this staff the only thing keeping his neck in one piece.

Straining his arms Robin struggled under the force of the monster's paw. The beast was apparently pleased with the turn of events and leaned in towards his trapped prey. He grunted as the pressure on his arms increased and slowly he was losing to his opponent's strength. He could feel the misty breath of the beast on his skin as their faces were hardly a foot apart. Sweat began to dot his forehead in response to the hot air being breathed directly onto him. The tips of the beast's claws gently caressed his throat and he felt his face grow pale at the sight of drool oozing between his teeth. He winced slightly as light green saliva dripped from the beast's jaws and spattered next to his head. _That is so gross._ He could not help but think to himself in spite of the immediate peril he was in. Grunting, he managed to slip his right foot under the staff and push up with that in addition to his arms. While it was not enough to throw the beast off of him it gave him enough time to quickly snatch a handful of light crackers from his belt and throw them into the air.

Shutting his eyes tightly he heard them snap and a titanic roar shortly thereafter. Instantly the pressure disappeared and his staff was sent flying into the air where he heard it clang against the ground somewhere behind him. Opening his eyes he saw the beast with both hands covering his face as he growled in anger and discomfort. Robin flipped to his feet and shuffled back, keeping his guard up and eyes on his adversary. "Do not make me do this, Beast Boy!" he shouted as he took three freeze disks from his belt. The beast shook off the effect of the blinding pellets and glared at him. He began making his advance again. "Do not come any closer!" Robin shouted again in warning but the beast showed no signs of hearing him.

Growling, Robin launched the disks towards the beast. In response to the incoming projectiles he brought his massive paws up in defense. As one of them came within range he swatted at it with the mind set to steer it off course. There was a brief look of shock on his furred face as the disk exploded into ice which quickly crawled up his fingertips and stretched out just beyond his wrists before ceasing. He did not have much time to contemplate as the other two disks came colliding with their targets. His other paw suffered the same fate and just as he was about to screech in frost bitten pain an icy blast sparked in his mouth. The ice worked quickly, sealing itself over his jaws and coming to rest over his snout. Robin's heart leapt in momentary panic. With the ice over his mouth and nose there was no way for him to breath. Cursing his moment of reckless thought at inadvertently suffocating his friend he made a run for his staff. An explosion or heat disk would be too risky, he decided, and with one swift and well placed jab he could easily open a breathing hole within the ice.

Robin was not the only one panicked by the turn of events. The beast shook his head furiously and attempted to paw at his sealed mouth with his frozen hands. His heart rate had already risen what with the fight and with the frightening realization that he could not breath he only thrashed about moreso. This was rather unfortunate as the remaining oxygen in his body was being used up far more quickly than would be considered safe. Yet luck seemed to be with the beast today and through his thrashing he struck his frozen hand against one of the walls. Shards of ice exploded into the air and spiraled about in every direction and the wonderful sensation of warmth returned to his right paw. Despite being panic stricken he was still mentally sound enough to do the same to his left paw and with both hands free he began to frantically chisel at his ice sealed snout.

The staff was doing a pretty good job of hiding from Robin just when he needed it most. As was the case with most things dropped or sent flying across the room. One would think he or she knows where it is but the item always has an annoying tendency to bounce into the most inconceivable places. Robin forced the rising alarm in his chest down as he mentally counted the seconds away in his head. While trying to stay focused on the task at hand and not about how much air his friend had to last him he accidently kicked one of Raven's favorite reading chairs a lot farther than he had intended. Nope, no staff here either. He continued his search, oblivious to the activity happening behind him. If he had noticed he would probably have spent more time planning his next move than searching for his elusive weapon.

The beast had successfully managed to scrape enough ice from his teeth that his powerful jaws were able to make quick work of what remained. Those that enjoyed chewing on icecubes would have appreciated the sensation of the ice crunching between his sharp teeth. Along with the ice in his mouth, the remaining ice appeared to crack and crumble along with it, leaving his face free of its grip and his air tubes unblocked once again. Taking in a deep breath his eyes fell upon the prone and occupied teenager that had brought that episode of discomfort and dread upon him. He charged without hesitation and a strained roar was ripped from his throat as he did so. It was a good thing too, or else Robin may not have noticed him in time. The young Titan had finally managed to locate his staff which had skidded to a halt under a rather large and heavy cabinet. Not having the strength or time to attempt moving it, he had gotten on his stomach and stretched an arm underneath. His fingertips just barely bristle the bo when he heard the thunderous growl just overhead. Taking a glance over his shoulder, he had just enough time to scramble to his feet and run.

The cabinet burst into a mess of splinters and books and though Robin was quick enough to avoid being turned into ketchup he was unable to outrun a few stray projectiles that struck him in the head. He continued on with the beast close enough behind to give him flat tires. With a grunt he forced his body into a sprint and managed to put decent space between them before glancing over his shoulder and firing his grappling hook towards the beast's neck. As it began to wrap around his throat he turned and ran back towards him. The beast was getting plenty annoyed without the feel of the strong thread rubbing against his flesh. He thrust a clawed fist towards Robin and was only agitated further by the ease he had dodged it. Launching to the air the young Titan preformed a wall run and passed him before he could blink. Now behind him Robin leapt towards his back and allowed the hook to reel himself in. He wrapped his arms around the neck, getting the beast in a headlock. "Beast Boy! Stop!" Robin shouted. The monster thrashed around in an attempt to throw him off his back, but he only held tighter in response. "Beast Boy! Get a hold of yourself! You don't want to do this!"

The beast grew tired of the boy's lecturing. He attempted to claw at his unwelcome passenger but what his arms did for fighting and strength they could not do for flexibility and Robin was easily able to dodge any claws that came close to grabbing him without loosing his grip. He squeezed his arms around his neck tighter still and he could feel the growls vibrating from his throat as if attempting to resist him. "You should know by now that thrashing only makes me hold tighter!" The increase of the jugular's pulsating against his arms was enough to tell him that the beast was no where ready to go down calmly. Having gotten used to his thoughtless flailing about, Robin was a bit off guard when he ceased the motion and launched himself backwards. Being the experienced vigilante that he was, and having used this tactic on countless thugs much larger than himself, he did not need to look over his shoulder to know that the beast was attempting to squash him against the wall. In response he grabbed the top of the monster's head and pulled himself over in a front flip. He was well out of harm's way, being upside down in a two second hand stand on the beast's head, when said creature's back collided with the wall. As he continued his flip and fell forward he had already known the risks of passing down so close to the beast with his back completely vulnerable. He already had a shock disk in hand as his decent started yet he still managed to be startled when two large paws grabbed him around the waist.

Robin was proud of his ability to accurately assess danger and plan accordingly for the most likely scenario within seconds. Yet even the quickest thinkers have their off days and what with the events that had transpired since waking that morning it was fair to say that he was having just one of those. He was already within the motion of throwing the weapon he held in hand when a sharp pain spread through his right arm and halted the attack in the process. He gritted his teeth and looked down at the upper part of his arm, which just happened to have a rather nasty looking set of fangs sinking into it. Blood began to run down his appendage like syrup and he could feel a tongue from within the mouth lapping up the blood and salivating into his wound in the process. Through the pain and repulsion of this turn of events he was able to proceed with his attack and slapped the shock disk on the beast's nose.

Robin came crashing to the floor with a sickening thud having just been thrown from the beast's grasp. Momentarily forgetting his recent injury he let out a cry when trying to push himself up with that arm. Favoring his left, he quickly got into a kneeling position and watched the beast shake his head frantically. As he began to recover from the shock Robin had already risen to his feet. For a moment the rage filled him again at having been given such a horrid sensation. His counter attack lasted for only about two steps before he noticed the arm that hung harmless at Robin's side. Though his left hand was covering the wound tightly there was no stopping the blood that seeped through his finger tips and spattered in drops on the floor. Instantly the beast's eyes widened as if he had never seen blood before. He backed away as though visibly disturbed by the wound. A human expression of regret passed over his previously murderous face and his terrifying growl died into a kitten's purr of shame. Robin noticed the change in the expression and gently stepped forward. "Beast Boy?" He jumped when the beast suddenly arched his back and covered his eyes as an agonized roar ripped through his body. He then dropped to his knees, elbows resting on the floor, and rapidly began to shrink in size.

Robin watched as the monster reverted back to Beast Boy. For several minutes the changeling remained in that same position before his arms gave out and he slid to the floor. His prone form twitched distressingly as his breath came in large labored gasps. Wound forgotten, Robin all but sprinted to his fallen cohort's side. As he pushed him onto his back Robin noticed how pale his skin had become - it's normal shade now that of a sickeningly yellowish-green color. Sweat trickled down his face, causing his bangs to stick to his head like the grass his locks reminded so many of. It was all too apparent just how badly the transformation had taken it out of him. In addition to the worry over his condition Robin felt a ruthless pang of shame. He allowed this to happen. He allowed his friend to get in this condition. A leader should never allow his teammates to be harmed. "Robin! I . . ." There was a small sense of relief that Beast Boy was speaking to him. His breath had become less labored and his skin was slowly starting to return to its normal color. It was a good sign that he was aware of his surroundings, though Robin did not realize just how perceptive he was until he noticed Beast Boy's eyes were locked intensely on his wounded arm. "Are you okay?"

_So selfless. _Robin suppressed a moan of pain helped pull Beast Boy to his feet. He ignored his wound as Beast Boy swayed a bit on his feet and placed his hands on the other's shoulders to help steady him. The strength to his legs returned quickly and Beast Boy was able to stand without assistance. Removing his hands from his shoulders Robin opened his mouth to speak. "Oh man! I am really sorry!" Beast Boy spouted, stuttering a bit in his speech and beating Robin to the punch. His eyes remained fixed on the bleeding gash. "I didn't mean to! I really . . "

"I know you didn't Beast Boy." Robin said quietly yet unshaken. As emotionally draining as the day had been the leader in him called out and commanded him to force his emotions away. He was injured, Beast Boy lost control of the beast, and their friendship was on a rocky ledge if ever there was one. _You can have your pity party later! Take care of the situation at hand. **Now!**_ Beast Boy appeared to be in decent health now aside from his frantic state. His eyes were still as large as they were upon his first glimpse of the wound and his breathing was only slightly erratic, but at least his color had returned. He was no doubt wondering what was going to happen to him. Afterall, Robin's threats to send him to jail that fateful night the beast first emerged were very hard to forget. Robin sensed his as well, like a ripple that vibrated through his being, and guessed that he owed this to his mental bond with a certain purple haired Empath. _Pity party LATER bird boy! You're bleeding!_ "Right." he unconsciously mumbled in response to his thoughts. Beast Boy looked up at that and could not suppress the urge to gulp. Robin's voice had returned to its hard, serious tone and as far as he was concerned that was not a good thing. His nerves could only shudder moreso as he spoke again with the same tone and intensity. "Let's go to the infirmary. We'll talk there."


	6. Trust

AN: My apologies for the delay with this chapters. With my previous chapters - and chapters to come - I already had the entire thing written out on a note pad and had gone back to edit them. However, the rough draft of chapter six turned out to be complete and utter mess so I had to rewrite it word for word. Then after re-writing I had to re-read and edit it a number of times until I was satisfied. Well I'm satisfied and I hope you all are to. But before we continue with the story there is one review I'd like to respond to.

Person: You are absolutely correct. I confess I had not seen 'The Beast Within' for quite some time. I had forgotten just how badly the beast had beaten the other Titans. Do not worry though for the beast shall be opening some buttwhoop in chapters to come.

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 6: Trust

There was an eerie silence in the infirmary. Robin sat resting his elbows on his knees as Beast Boy attempted to dress his wound. Given the recent events he was more clumsy at it than he normally would be, which is a lot given his lack of medical training. Beast Boy had been mad at Robin, he still was in fact even as he patched his wound. He did not expect to actually _harm _him. Well, perhaps he had wanted to punch his lights out, but to have actually drawn blood was crossing the line.

The fact that he had demonstrated such violence against a teammate was disturbing enough. The severity of the situation was even more so. He attacked a fellow Titan, the leader of all people to be precise, and this was a very serious offense. His fingers quivered as he thought back to sitting in the hot seat one fateful evening. _"She was in your teeth . . " _Starfire's voice echoed through his mind. With the motionless figure of Raven floating on a cot and Robin standing a hair's breath away, shouting threats to send him to jail he could not suppress a shudder. This time _he _had actually attacked a team member. If it was that bad before . . .

Robin was only vaguely aware of the gauze roll that slid out of Beast Boy's hands and bounced away on the floor. He turned his head slightly as Beast Boy pursued the roll that teasingly left a trail behind as it unravelled. Ever since Cyborg administered the antidote to Beast Boy the horrific incident appeared to be behind them. True that the beast was just as much a part of him as any other animal he transformed to. Yet the irritable attitude he displayed after the chemical bath was gone as was any trace of the beast. Its return was so abrupt; no attitude change or strange chemicals. Yes he had been more enraged than Robin had ever seen him before, aside from the first beast episode that is to say. However he managed to keep it under control when he left the tower to cool off. Why had he lost control upon returning? Beast Boy returned to Robin's cot cradling the reluctant medical supplies in his arms. Even seeing him now, trying to organize the supplies and struggling against their relentless escape attempts, it was hard to believe that he had been trying to kill him not too long ago.

Robin had hardly returned to his thoughts when felt the bandage around his arm loosen and fall. Turning his head he saw Beast Boy trying to gather up the wrappings he had dropped once again. With each item picked up another one squeezed free from his weakened grasp in a manner that would have been amusing under different circumstances. "Stop that." Robin spoke abruptly, causing him to jump and bang his head on the cot. Anti bacterial gel and scissors clattered on the floor once more as Beast Boy released them in favor of rubbing a newly acquired bump on his head. As Beast Boy stood nervous and embarrassed, Robin took the gauze from his grasp, feeling his fingers tremble against his in the brief moment their hands made contact. "Didn't Cyborg teach you how to dress wounds?" Beast Boy shook his head in slow yet jerky motions as if struggling against a nasty crick in his neck. Robin suppressed a sigh and began wrapping his arm with practiced ease. Injuries were quite common in their line of work so knowing how to treat them was natural to the savvy vigilante.

With his services obviously not needed, Beast Boy slowly walked over to another cot and hopped on. Clamping his hands together he let his elbows rest on his thighs as his feet swung back and forth anxiously. The atmosphere only became more tense from there and neither boy wanted to look at the other. Beast Boy looked down at his feet and watched them swing rapidly leaving behind a blurred trail of purple. Despite the almost hypnotic movement he could feel his eyes twitching to examine the rest of the room. Beast Boy decided that he would rather not risk catching a glimpse of Robin at the moment and cautiously moved his head to the right where an IV bag hung next to an inoperative heart monitor. He stared as it twisted back and forth ever so slightly on its hook before returning his gaze to his feet. Rhythmcally his eyes switched back and forth between the two before they flickered over at Robin against Beast Boy's command.

In their moment of betrayal, his eyes met directly with the masked ones of Robin. Beast Boy quickly forced his face away and felt a flush of heat spread over his cheeks. He took a petite gulp as he clenched his restless eyes shut. The rapid swinging of his legs only increased as he became ever more anxious and he could feel his body bounce slightly with each kick.

A loud bang echoed through the room as one of Beast Boy's heels struck the leg post of his cot. Robin had been startled out of his mindless gaze at his bandage and slowly returned to tending his injury. He tugged on the wrapping more than enough times to know it was just tight enough but he was in no hurry to finish. Almost reluctantly he continued to wrap the gauze around his arm when a familiar sensation creep up his nose. He froze for a moment and his eyes automatically flew towards Beast Boy. Through the changeling's restless twitching it was quite apparent that he was rather nervous but Robin could not will his body to break its gaze away from him. Just like before, Robin could actually smell the fear off of him. However rather than being a sharp and rancid smell, the aroma was mildly sour and a bit on the flat side.

It surrounded him in a gentle caress which was not at all like the menacing grip of anger. However its presence was no more welcome and could be compared to a sticky hot mist on a humid day or a swarm of flies that would not go away no matter how much one would swat at them. Yet there was something else, some sort of pure smell as if begging to be washed clean of any and all offenses. It reminded Robin of the smell after rainfall when the sent of wet grass would fill the air as if crying a thankful gasp to the heavens. Also like the rainfall it made him feel slightly depressed.

Beast Boy let out a large and labored sigh. His breath shook slightly as it exited him trembling body and the scent of his emotion thickened around Robin. He wanted to speak, his mind screaming itself horse to end the tension, and he opened his mouth ever so slightly to appease. As he drew in an oral breath his mouth shut quickly on reflex. His taste buds prickled on end as anxiety caressed his tongue. It was an unpleasant taste but it did not leave him with the desire to vomit like anger's taste had. If anything it made him feel dirty. Guilty.

Robin's throat grew tight as rage bubble up his esophagus like vomit. He almost welcomed the burning sensation as his body attempted to fizzle out the sour taste. Wincing only slightly as the bite wound sparked with pain, his entire body constricted in anger. Who did Beast Boy think he was making him feel guilty? He gritted his teeth sharply and could feel the vibrations of a feral growl begin to stir in his throat. He felt bad enough for what had happened and he already apologized for crying out loud! _Huh?_ Robin flinched slightly as he woke up from his short rage. Blinking rapidly he felt a whisper of anger disperse in his chest. That was . . . odd to say the least. _Must be stress._

Robin turned his attention back to his wound and frowned when he discovered he had finished dressing it. He knew he could only milk it as a distraction for so long but he was not quite prepared to face the task at hand. He gently ran his thumb over the soft gauze in soothing circles as he chewed his lip slightly. The action that he found reasonably appeasing at times did nothing to ease his reluctance as taste of Beast Boy's fear was still on his tongue. He paused in his motions and almost shuddered but was able to keep himself still. Sometimes being the leader _really _sucked.

With a final labored sigh he lowered himself off the cot, his metal soled boots making a small noise as they touched ground. His footsteps echoed against the infirmary's hard floor though Beast Boy did not look up as he approached him. At first Robin had thought he was choosing to look away until his voice startled him into a stiff sitting position. "Beast Boy, we need to talk." His emerald eyes were practically bulging from his skull but he managed to blink them back in. With a shaky form he lowered his left foot to the floor, then his right, and stood before his leader just scarcely able to suppress the shudder of his body. The emotions invading Robin's senses were almost unbearable at this time.

"I'm not going to send you to jail." He said simply. Beast Boy's ears twitched slightly in response like they would do when listening for a silent and elusive foe. "What?" he ventured softly, his voice reminiscent of a small kitten. Robin was not one who liked repeating himself. It was annoying and usually meant the receiving party was not paying attention. Nevertheless, there were circumstances in which the listener requested the information only to confirm its truth. Beast Boy was a good listener when he wanted to be and though his neck and retracted into his stiff shoulders like a turtle would retreat into its shell, his ears were perked at attention which suggested this situation was the latter. "I'm not going to send you to jail." As simple a statement it was it caused Beast Boy to relax considerable though he was still notably nervous. Reasonably so as Robin did not hesitate to continue.

"However you did attack me; a fellow Titan."

"You're going to kick me off the team!" Beast Boy all but screeched in a volume that surprised himself. Robin raised a hand gently though inside he was battling to keep from losing his temper. "I didn't say that, now did I?" he said just barely able to keep himself from hissing. "I'm not sending you to jail, or kicking you off the team, and I have no plans to reprimand you at the moment." Beast Boy sighed and Robin continued. "But I need you to tell me what's going on. Why did you loose control of the Beast?"

Beast Boy shook his head in a strange manner, which rested somewhere between reluctance and the furry one displays when attempting to dispel false accusations. "I don't know. It just happened."

"It did not 'just happen' Beast Boy." Robin pressed. "If something is going on I need you to tell me right now. I need to know if you're losing control of your powers."

"I'm not losing control!" Beast Boy said too quickly for either of their liking. Robin pressed his lips together, partly from frustration and partly to keep the taste out of his mouth, and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going to yell at you if you're losing control but I do need to know if you are right away. If you tell me now we can still do something about it, before it's too late."

"But I'm not losing control!" Beast Boy said again. Robin crossed his arms and allowed a hint of annoyance to slip out. Either the changeling did not understand the severity of the situation or he was afraid to admit it. Beast Boy felt a brief flash of anger wash over him as Robin's chest visibly deflated in a silent sigh. Though his dander was risen that Robin obviously did not believe him he felt himself shrink back down instantly under his burning glare. "Show me." He commanded in his usual sharp and curt tone. "Turn into a dog."

Instantly a green mutt sat were Beast Boy had been previously. Robin was taken back a bit by how swiftly the transformation had taken place. Though his ability to change had always been quick, usually one could catch a glimpse of his body changing from human to animal. It was as if there had been no 'in between' stage. Robin was tempted to allow himself to sample a taste of the relief flowing through his blood, both at Beast Boy's supposed enthusiasm to show control over his powers and the fact that he still appeared to have it, but he pushed that thought aside. He had to be sure.

"Okay. Turn into an eagle." Robin had hardly finished his sentence when the dog vanished. Just as swiftly as before a majestic, though oddly green, eagle stood where the other animal had just been. The speed of the lightning quick transformation had sent a few jade tinted feathers into the air though Robin was prepared for the abrupt change and watched them fall. The feathers twisted and spun elegantly as they floated beside the eagle's restless talons, which were creating a rhythmic clicking sound beneath his teetering and anxious form. "Armadillo." Robin commanded again and just as before the animal changed, still an ever persistent shade of green.

Robin narrowed his eyes and began to pace around with his arms crossed over his chest. Beast Boy had proven he was still in control of his powers. This much Robin did not doubt any longer. The beast was another matter all together and Beast Boy had failed to contain him despite his tight restraint over his abilities. The armadillo watched him crossing back and forth for a while before returning to his human form. Robin stopped and turned to look at him. "From what I can gather extreme anger is what caused you to loose control. We'll have to take care of that, but it's best to not assume anything. We have to be certain of the exact cause."

Beast Boy open his mouth to speak but a startled yell was ripped from his throat as the room became engulfed in red lights. "Perfect!" Robin growled as he flipped his communicator open. Beast Boy did the same and activated the map to see a familiar emblem blinking over a shop in Jump City's main street. "The HIVE. Our favorite terrible trio is pulling a jewelry heist." Robin said as his communicator snapped shut. "They must be bored since their school got destroyed." Beast Boy replied, pocketing his communicator as well. "Let's . . . hey!"

Before he knew what was happening, Beast Boy felt Robin grab him by the upper arm and yank him to a corner of the infirmary. Startled, he attempted to pull his arm out of his grasp, but Robin had the element of surprise on his side and had predicted his actions. He yanked Beast Boy forward to pull him off balance and caught him by his other arm. The changeling was still stupefied by his teammate's inexplicable aggression and had not thought to morph as he was spun around and shoved backwards. Not anticipating the sudden movement, Beast Boy had to flail his arms insanely to keep from falling completely. By the time he regained his balance and bearings it was already too late. A clear door slammed shut before him with a poisonous hiss, separating Robin and himself. "Robin! What are you doing!" he yelled as his fists had already found themselves pounding against the glass, though he doubted Robin could hear him through the reinforced door and screaming sirens.

Having that thought in mind, Robin had walked over to a console on the wall and deactivated the alarm. The red glare dissolved instantly and the sirens faded in an echoed chorus as if gasping for a final dying breath. Robin then proceeded back to the glass containment tube of which Beast Boy was currently prisoner. The tube had been erected after the episodes of Robin's encounter with Slade's hallucinogen and the beast's first appearance. The team had collectively decided that should one of them fall to temporary insanity again it would be best to find some way to contain him or her until a resolution had been found. It had been tested with each Titan taking a turn locked away and using everything they had to break free. None had succeeded.

Despite knowing this Beast Boy had already changed into a large tiger and was swiping furiously at the glass. "Beast Boy!" Robin shouted to ensure his voice was heard over the racket of the shapeshifter's futile attempts to break out. Either it was not loud enough or he had chosen not to listen for the tiger continued clawing at the glass before transforming into a gorilla. A single punch from the primate rattled the tube viciously but it showed no signs of breaking. "Beast Boy!" Robin shouted again and winced at the slight sting in his throat from the volume. As the walls of the tube slowed in vibration the gorilla morphed back into a small teenager though the angry and primal expression remained molded on his face. Beast Boy pressed his hands against the door, which had stopped rattling upon his touch in an almost obedient manner.

"Have you lost your mind!" Beast Boy shouted before Robin could get a much desired word in. "Let me out of here!" Robin's shoulders dropped in a curt and annoyed manner. He felt a spark of anger from his temple as a vein began pulsating irately. It was enough that he had a group of troublesome Hive agents to take care of on his own and he did not exactly have the time to explain the obvious to Beast Boy, who should have been able to piece it together despite the common perception that he was stupid. It did not help that he punched the glass in his gorilla form and created a loud echoing hum that upgraded his headache to a migraine. For the moment Robin was thankful that he could not sense Beast Boy's emotions from outside the tube. He really did not need a guilt trip holding him back from his duties.

"I'm not going to loose control!" Beast Boy's muffled voice said as he pressed his nose against he glass. "I'm not extremely angry, or at least I wasn't until you threw me in here!"

"I told you already Beast Boy." Robin said. "We don't know exactly what is causing you to loose it. We need to be sure and until then it's best if you stay in there." Beast Boy gritted his teeth at this; his one fang-like canine protruding from his bottom lip menacingly. "You can't keep me locked up in here!" He pressed himself into the glass further as if he could fall through to freedom. Robin stood before him unnerved. "I can," he paused and straightened his form to put authoritative emphasis on his words. "and I will. If you loose control out there a lot of innocent people could be hurt." He paused again, narrowing his eyes as they locked on with those of Beast Boy. "Even _killed_."

Robin did not hesitate for a second. Without waiting to see Beast Boy's reaction he turned on heel so sharply his cape made a distinct flapping noise and wrapped around his waist before fluttering once again to the back of his knees. "You can't take the HIVE on by yourself!" He heard but continued walking away in a swift manner. "You're injured! Let me help!" Robin glanced only shortly to acknowledge his wound. The cloth has already turned a distinct shade of red indicating that the wound was still bleeding at a mildly disturbing rate. He would have to tend to that after taking care of their heist problem. He heard Beast Boy growl and scratch at the glass in frustration as he continued his exit uninterrupted. He was almost through the door when Beast Boy finally managed to get him to stop with his next words. "I will not loose control, Robin. Let me help you. Please, trust me."

He skidded only slightly as his left foot as already halfway through the door. He did not turn, at least not right away until Beast Boy continued his speech. "I know I can do it. You don't need to keep me locked in here. Please, just give me a chance." Beast Boy watched anxiously as Robin remained silently contemplating his words. He pressed himself further against the glass as if to get closer to Robin's still form. Anyone who knew him well enough would know that Robin usually took on still form for two reasons. One being that he was in deep thought over critical decisions that he were afforded the time to mull over. The other usually meaning that he was about to say something the receiving party did not wish to hear. Obviously Beast Boy was hoping it was the former and his reasoning seemed rational enough. Despite the events of that morning two Titans were better than one - especially when that one Titan was already hurt. Slowly Robin turned towards him, his face unreadable as usual and he braced himself, a little too hopeful that his leader would have seen things his way. "I'm sorry Beast Boy but allowing you to fight with me is a risk I cannot take."

Robin turned and continued to walk without hesitation as if he were trying to get away. That had been a lot more difficult to say than he originally conceived but he had been taught long ago that emotion comes second to reason no matter how much it churned one's insides. To say that his insides were churning would be only a bit of an understatement and Robin was thankful the taste of Beast Boy's hurt was locked away in the tube with him.

Beast Boy himself was stunned by the turn of events. Despite his mild and premature optimism, he had anticipated not being able to change Robin's mind but he was taken back a bit by how blunt he could be. Did the teen wonder really have such little faith in him to say fighting by his side was dangerous? A risk that he could not take? Beast Boy's chin quivered pitifully as he watched Robin walked farther down the hall; farther from him. First he harshly admitted to wanting nothing to do with him that morning and shortly thereafter he locked him away like a distrustful thug. As the distance between them slowly grew Beast Boy felt as though that distance was more than just physical. Their friendship was slowly but surely dissolving. While it was undeniable that they were never that close to each other Beast Boy had taken comfort in Robin's presence. He always had seemed like the go-to guy. He had been there to help out the others when needed and always had a plan. And the few times that he and Robin did spend together were not so bad either. He looked to him like he would a reclusive older brother.

It all seemed to end so quickly. The previous evening Beast Boy never would have thought he would be where he was at the moment. He had not been keen on the idea of being alone with the obsessive maniac for a week but for this to happen in less than twenty four hours was inconceivable. It was almost as if he was seeing Robin's true colors for the first time and that he acted a part while the others were around. Had this truly been what Robin thought of him the whole time?

"Robin!"

Robin cursed his body for stopping upon Beast Boy's call. It had been getting more and more difficult to walk away but he had been managing to push himself forward just fine. He sighed with a heavy coat of annoyance to disguise the regret within. He gave Beast Boy a perfectly valid reason for keeping him locked up; why could not he understand? Reluctantly he turned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the changeling over his shoulder. He honestly had not known why he stopped when there was a mission to be attended to. It appeared that Beast Boy had a much tighter hold on his new found empathetic 'powers' than he had a liking for. _This is a waste of time. What is wrong with me?_

The word had been out of Beast Boy's mouth before he knew it and he was surprised that Robin had stopped. Normally he would be stricken with hesitation and unable to speak anything coherently for a good five minutes. Resolve can do wonders for one's speech, however, and Beast Boy continued to speak. He had to know what Robin truly thought of him.

"You are our leader Robin." he continued. He had unintentionally paused for a moment as Robin gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "Our job is dangerous. Anyone of us could be hurt or killed." This was certainly a surprise to them both. Beast Boy may have not been sharpest on the team but he was not stupid. This was something he had known all along since he had first became a Titan. Though this thought secretly circulated through his mind everyday he never fathomed having to speak it out to anyone let alone their leader. Robin had risen his eyebrows slightly at Beast Boy's words. He had always come off as a goof that lived life too quickly for his own good. _Maybe he really _does_ understand._

"We trust you Robin." Beast Boy had to force the volume of his voice high enough to reach through the glass. He felt strangely vulnerable. It was not something that came from being imprisoned against his will or treated like a disaster though that certain may have contributed to it. It was something from within, warning him that if he continued he may very well be exposing his spirit to injury, but he could not stop himself. Part of him did not want to stop. "Everyday we put our lives in your hands. We have faith that we will all make it out okay under your command. We trust you. _I_ trust you!" He slapped an open palm over his heart for emphasis and could feel it pulsating wildly against his fingers.

Robin watched as Beast Boy struggled with the next set of words that appeared to be lodged in his throat. He was feeling somewhat better now. Neither of them were entirely thrilled at the current events that had taken place but it appeared that Beast Boy was finally beginning to understand and that he trusted him to make a harsh decision for the better of the civilians. Robin knew it was not easy to admit when one had become a hazard so it was no wonder that he could not quite get himself to say it. He really did not wish any of this on the changeling, no matter how obnoxious he was, but it would be best for him to admit that he had no control over his deadly alter ego. That way it would be easier to help him which Robin had every intention of doing so.

"I trust you," Beast Boy repeated, his hand on his chest curling into a weak fist. "So why don't you trust me?"

Beast Boy could just hardly make out Robin stiffening ever so slightly at his words. It was quite apparent that whatever he had been expecting the changeling to say that certainly was not it. He felt a little hopeful that his words had hit home and he would be released. Yet he reminded himself that there were two reasons for Robin to take a still form and tried not to get his hopes up. Regretfully they had risen against his will with each second Robin remained motionless. In most cases, if Robin had something to say that would crush his last ditch effort at freedom it would have been said by now.

Actions speak louder than words. Beast Boy was quite familiar with that saying but did not know the extent of its meaning until that day. He had been correct in his assumption that if Robin was going to say something he did not want to hear it would have been spoken sooner. Indeed he did not speak any discouraging words. What he did was much worse.

He left.

Not a word was spoken, he had not given a twitch, and perhaps most hurtful of all he did not bother to look back. In a swift and soldier like march Robin continued down the hall and Beast Boy could feel wetness begin to pool in his eyes. Had it not been for his quivering chin and the erratic expanding of his chest one may have mistaken him for a life size ceramic figure. He remained locked in his position propped against the door, his breathing short and frantic, as the room and Robin's retreating figure slowly blurred into colorful blobs. Finally he squeezed his eyes shut and allowed the tears to trickle down from his over flowing eyes. He slid down the door and left a salty trail behind where his tear washed cheek had smudged the glass.

Only once before had he felt so betrayed and in that moment too he had succumb to the anguish that overtook his body. A strangled sob found its way past his lips and Beast Boy clamped a hand over his mouth to keep the rest inside. Even in such a moment, when he felt so pitiful and helpless, he wanted to be strong. "What's the point?" he sobbed into his palm though the distress was still present in the muffled voice. Slowly his hand slid down his face until it dropped lifelessly on the floor. A long and sorrowful moan escaped him and he gritted his teeth bitterly. "He doesn't trust me." He hissed, his voice taking on a new and menacing tone. "He probably never did."

_I'm sorry._ Robin marched into the tower's garage and made a b-line for his R-Cycle. _I'm so sorry Beast Boy. _He felt so unspeakably filthy at that moment it was a wonder he had even made it. He had reassured himself, in spite of the ferocious blizzard of emotion swirling within him, that he had no alternative. Beast Boy was attempting to bite off more than he could chew. Robin clearly remembered his reaction when he found out he had injured him in his beast form. The howls of remorse at the sight of a little blood were haunting enough. He could only imagine the torment Beast Boy would feel if he lost control and came out of his blinding rage only to see he the aftermath of carnage and blood. What sort of friend would he be to risk leaving him with the guilt of injuring or killing a civilian against his will.

_It's not that I don't trust you Beast Boy. _Robin slipped on his helmet and revved the R-Cycle's engine to drown out his guilty thoughts. _I just don't think you know what you're getting into._ He pressed a button on the cycle's console and the entrance to the underwater bridge opened.

_**Because you don't **_**trust_ him to know._**

He shook his head vigorously to cease the uncoming mental battle. "I don't have time for this!" He growled. Squeezing the handles of his cycle, the engine echoed around the large room at an almost unbearable volume. With his mental voices thoroughly drowned out he pushed the break free and shot down the tunnel that lead to the main land. Mercifully, once far enough within the tunnel, the only sound that could be heard were the roar of the engine bouncing off the enclosed walls and the flapping of his cape around his shoulders. The voices within Robin's head had wisely decided to shut up and he was free to focus on the task at hand. "I'll talk to him when I get back." he mumbled, allowing himself one last personal thought before the task at hand. "I'm sure he'll understand later."

----

After chapter notes -

1. Robin is such a #!& -

I really wanted to add that last bit with Robin because I knew if I didn't you would all hate him to pieces. Heck some of you probably still hate him. I wanted to get both of their perspectives in so that you can see where both of them are coming from. Robin doesn't mean to be mean; he's just doing what he thinks is best.

2. Robin's empathetic powers -

Well, I don't suppose you could call them powers exactly. I had not planned him having this ability and it just sort of happened. So I thought 'How would someone like Robin deal with the ability to sense other people's emotions like this?' and it all went from there. It sort of an interesting dynamic that came about and it's fun to write as well. I have some ideas to run with this but I won't talk about those just yet for it would spoil the delicious surprise. Yes, I said delicious.

3. Beast Boy crying -

Boy, I hope I didn't overshoot his reaction. Beast Boy's a pretty external dude when it comes to emotions and I can picture him getting a little teary eyed if he felt his leader did not trust him. I still feel I'm milking it up a bit. Meh, I'll wait and see what you all think.

4. Robin the repeat uh . . robin -

I recall when someone had pointed out in chapter 2 that Robin had repeated, almost word for word, what was said in another conversation. I kept that in mind and tried to avoid that. I also wanted to make it apparent that the conversation had gone from the beast, to where Robin's responsibities lied, to trust - or something to that effect (not looking at the exact dialog right now). Dialog; I need to work on that too. BTW, the title is a parody of 'Pete the Repeat Parrot'. crickets chirp Coz, he's a parrot that repeats things and stuff . . .

crickets continue to chirp I'll shut up now.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


	7. The Werebird

All right! Chapter seven is here! Yay for stuff!

I wrote the fight scene a bit differently in this chapter. I tried to make it more 'actionish' if you will. It seems a bit fast paced for my taste but then again fight scenes are supposed to be. I also made sure the paragraphs were smaller for easy reading. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Note: I do have responses for everyone who has reviewed but because my reply got rather long I placed it at the end of the chapter so that those who just want to get to the story may. Hope you enjoy the feedback and do not forget to review for more!

**WARNING: **This chapter contains blood, violence and very mild gore. It still should be within the limits of a PG rating but I feel it may be teetering on the line here. Let me know if this is getting a little too violent for that rating.

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 7: The Werebird

Jinx shuffled the roll of dollar bills in her hand as her tongue protruded from the corner of her mouth. Her wrists and neck were decorated in various bracelets and necklaces from the local jewelers that she and her cohorts were currently looting. She was subconsciously aware of how tacky she must have looked wearing them, but dressing herself in recently stolen apparel or accessories gave her a feeling of power. Not to mention they were much easier to carry that way. Mammoth was carrying two very large bags of money in each hand while Gizmo had a few hover bots carrying the loot into their hijacked get away truck.

"That's the last of it!" Gizmo announced as Mammoth tossed his share into the back of the vehicle. "Now lets get out of here before those crud munchers show up!" Jinx stuffed the money roll into her pocket and ran back to the truck. She just barely squeezed in next to Gizmo as Mammoth started the ignition and stomped his massive foot on the accelerator. An earsplitting screech filled the air as the truck began peeling out. With the weight of their haul in the back and the smell of burnt tire rubber thick in the air, the criminals could not help but chortle at their apparent victory.

Yet in a place like Jump City it is almost routine that a criminal's preemptive celebration is brought to a rude and abrupt halt. As was the case when a birdarang went flying through the air and struck one of the front tires. The sinister chuckles were replaced with startled gasps and yells while Mammoth struggle with the stirring wheel to keep them from crashing. As the truck spun out of control another birdarang came screeching past the windshield and struck the other front tire. The trio inside watched as the birdarang swerved back and was caught by the one that had thrown it.

Robin landed on the hood of the engine, creating a thump that rattled the thieves inside, just as the car came to a stop. In a crouched position he glared at them through the windshield and they glared back in a match to intimidate the enemy. Jinx launched the first attack. During their short lived staring match her eyes began to glow a bright pink. Robin took instant note of that, as well as the pinkish hue the glass had suddenly acquired, and jumped out of the way just as the hex split the windshield and sent a shower of glass everywhere. His steel toed boots left two rather unsightly dents as he landed on the roof of the truck and ran towards the back. Hearing his heavy footsteps over their heads, the trio piled out of the vehicle and Robin was already on the ground ready to face them. "Hey barfbrain! Where are the other pitsniffers?" Gizmo yelled upon noticing the other Titans were no where to be found. Refusing to respond, Robin pressed his lips together and fell into a fighting stance.

"Attack pattern Beta!" Jinx shouted as she and the other two agents leapt into attack. Robin held his ground as the three split apart to surround and attack him on all sides. Flickering his eyes back and forth he remained steady, waiting for the first attack. Gizmo advanced first, firing a laser from his arsenal equipped pack. Robin rolled out of the way and grabbed Jinx's ankle before she could land a kick. Grabbing her around the waist he threw her into Gizmo and backflipped away just as Mammoth crushed the ground where he had been. The attack caused a minor tremor in the ground and Robin teetered only slightly as he landed. Mammoth had not paused for a second and charged at Robin, who had already taken out his bo staff.

Robin ducked under Mammoth's incoming punch and countered with his bo staff. Landing a hit squarely on the brute's nose, he turned just in time to dodge one of Gizmo's mechanical spider legs. The child genius snarled down in annoyance, courtesy of his machinery giving him a higher vantage point, and struck again as Mammoth recovered. With a duck and twist of his body, Robin was scarcely able to dodge both simultaneous attacks. He was too preoccupied to even notice Jinx had launched another hex until in hit him in the chest.

The force sent Robin flying back and crashing into the wall of a nearby building. A short gasp of pain was forced from his lips upon the collision and his feet collapsed beneath him. The trio wasted no time charging at his prone figure sitting propped against the building. Looking up to see them charging, Robin quickly shot his grappling hook over his head and was pulled to safety mere seconds before what would have been a devastating tackle.

He grabbed the ledge of the roof as the hook pulled him up and he climbed over. The agents shook their heads free of the dizzying crash and looked up to see their enemy vanish from view. "Scuzz sniffing turd burgler!" Gizmo growled as he activated his mechanical wings and flew up after him. Robin had hardly taken two steps before the small criminal screeched high above him and began raining down a barrage of lasers. He was forced into a scrambled sprint causing Gizmo to let out a joyful laugh at the Titan's retreat. Deciding that he did not really like the feel of hot lasers on his heals, Robin tossed a birdarang over his shoulder.

"Ha! Ya missed you pit sniff - waaa!" he heard Gizmo shout as he launched himself into a front flip. Twisting his body midjump, Robin landed facing his opponent and caught the birdarang as it returned obediently. It was true that he had missed his target but often times villians would forget why they were called bird_arangs. _Upon its return it had struck Gizmo's left wing, causing the brat to retract his damaged wings and launched his mechanical spider legs. He thrust forward with the legs in an attempt to stab Robin. "Whatsa matter, bird brain?" Gizmo taunted as Robin backpedalled from his attacks. "Not so tough without your crud munchin' friends?"

"No one asked you." Robin growled as he launched his grappling hook. "Huh?" Gizmo stuttered as the hook struck one of the legs and ricocheted into another. As it quickly bounded every which way the cable intangle itself around the metal appendages as Robin rounded his enemy. Gizmo's laser gun prepared to aim at the cable but his bounded legs could not keep him on balance. He yelled and flailed his arms helplessly to keep from falling but, with one quick tug from Robin, his plummet was inevitable.

Robin kept a tight grip on the cable and continued to pull as Gizmo fell when he felt himself begin to spill. He gasped as his left foot slipped off the roof's ledge. Regaining his balance was easy but that did not stop the remaining two agents watching from the ground. Robin just hardly caught a glimpse of a pink arch soaring towards him before the cement beneath his feet crumbled to gravel. He did not descend very far before the cable in his hands snapped taut and his body jerked about.

"Ooof!" Robin's backside smacked against the brick roughly but not so much as to cause injury, for which he was thankful. As he dangled halfway down the building he felt his eyes grow large when Mammoth picked up a car from the other side of the street and gingerly carried it back. Knowing well what was coming, he frantically banged his fist against a window just to his left. "If there is anyone in there, get out _now_!" he screamed, hoping any occupants had heard him or had mind enough to leave long before that. He pressed his feet against the wall as Mammoth reared back and launched himself into an upward leapt, arching his body much like one preforming a swan dive would.

The car was sent airborne, hurtling for a head-on collision with the Boy Wonder. Robin reached out and grasped the engine hood, pushing himself over and grabbing for the car roof. He pulled himself up and out of danger, kicking himself off the tail lights, as the vehicle sped for the immobile building behind him. The explosion from the car propelled him forward, disrupting his acrobatic attempts to land on his feet and sending him spiraling towards earth. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud but managed to flip himself on his feet mid-skid. Robin quickly fell back into a fighting stance but could hold it for no more than a second. He shook his head as a wave of dizziness hit him, courtesy of the blood loss in the first battle of that day, and willed his feet to stop wobbling. Just as Robin managed to stop the world from spinning Gizmo tackled him, propelled by a rocket pack.

Saliva sprayed from his mouth at the force behind Gizmo's body slam. Robin's body was as limp as a rag doll as he went flying back only to be caught from behind by Mammoth. With his arms hooked under the smaller teen's armpits Mammoth lifted Robin off the ground. Robin took in several gulps of air to recover from having the wind knocked out of him and squirmed feebly in his enemy's grasp. "Let me go!" he hissed as the remaining agents joined Mammoth. The other teens smirked and Robin felt a rage burn in his skull at his own defeat as well as his enemy's taunts. "Poor little bird. So helpless without his buddies." He heard Mammoth say as he crushed his arms slightly. "Shut up!" Robin snapped, struggling in response to the grip. "Why so sensitive?" Jinx asked as her cohorts cackled. "Are you embarrassed that you can't do anything without them or did they finally just get sick of you?"

Robin said nothing and continued to struggle. Mammoth tightened his grip and Robin grimaced as the pressure cut into his wound. Perhaps going into battle alone and wounded was not such a great idea after all. He could feel himself loosing strength and stopped moving for a moment in hopes of regaining his energy. "Decided to give up, Bird brain?" Mammoth smirked as he felt him cease his struggling.

"You wish . . ." he hissed in response.

Robin leaned his head forward and snapped it back, pegging Mammoth in the face with a reverse head butt. His nose already tender from the previous hit with the bo staff, Mammoth dropped Robin and covered his face with his hands. Jinx and Gizmo were quick to action. Robin crumpled to the ground but was swift to evade the oncoming attacks, leaving Mammoth to be pegged with a discharge of hexes and lasers. Getting to his feet he rushed back towards the agents.

Ceasing her attack, Jinx stopped and turned just in time to receive a kick to the face. As she stumbled back Robin swayed a bit on his feet as the world spun once more. He shook it off just in time to block a punch from Jinx but not the body slam delivered by Mammoth. Robin was sent flying once more and he felt anger and frustration bubble inside as he skidded to a stop on the concrete. Lying face down, he pushed himself up with his arms and gasped loudly as the pressure placed on his wound caused a sharp jolt of pain. "Aw, Birdie's got a boo boo!" Jinx cooed sinisterly as she noticed the bloody bandage on his arm. She shot a hex at his arm, causing him to collapse and grab at the bleeding area.

With his entire right arm pulsating in pain, Robin struggled to push himself up. Using his knees he was only able to push his lower half up, which unfortunately left his gut open for a scoop kick by Jinx. The force of the kick flipped him onto his back and Mammoth's large foot quickly stomped down on his chest. An involuntary cry of pain was ripped from his throat and incited a round of laughter from all sides of him. Robin glared at the three criminals staring down at him. He felt an ominous fire burn within him in response to the cocky smirks.

"Give up now?" Mammoth said grinding his foot down on the teen's chest. "Never." Robin growled back. He tried to reach for his belt but Jinx stepped on his wrist. Placing her hands on her hips she grinned down at him. He felt his anger rise at his defeat and his enemies gloats. He struggled to move his wrist from under her shoe but she brought her foot down harder. "While it is adorable watching you struggle like a newborn kitten you really should learn to quit while your ahead - or alive in this case."

"Shut up!" he shouted only to receive the same choir of laughter in response. Robin felt his forehead and temples burst with a red hot feeling, as if he were running a high fever. His chest struggled to push up against Mammoth's foot as his breathing became short and frantic. This only prompted more teasing from the Hive agents as it appeared the mighty Titans leader was having a nervous breakdown from his defeat. "Embarrassed that we kicked you stinking tail, clutch-head?" Gizmo taunted, an evil grin spreading over his face as Robin continued to twitch.

Robin squeezed his eyes tightly shut and began tossing his head back and forth in a desperate attempt to throw their words away. Sweat slid down his face as his temperature peaked with this still growing rage. His surroundings swirled into a red tinted montage of his enemies insults and beatings upon him. He could scarcely hear them over the harsh beating of his heart, but most of them cut through, causing his entire form to shake uncontrollably. "Sh . .shut up!" he hissed passed his clenched teeth, feeling spit coat over his lips as if he were foaming at the mouth.

More poisonous laughter filled the air at his vicious plea. Robin's eyes snapped open and his body took in several large gasps. He could see his tormenters above him and feel boiling sweat coat his forehead with his increasing fever-like ailment. Jinx, Mammoth, Gizmo, the buildings and the sky; everything he saw were varying shades of red as if the world had turned monochromatic. The images were morphing before him, taking on the appearance of prolonged blood dripping, and a ripple ran across his eyes with each heartbeat. And still the taunting voices continued.

_"Poor little bird. So helpless without his buddies."_

_"Not so tough without your crud munchin' friends?"_

_"Why so sensitive?"_

"_Robin. Is that the best you can do?"_

"I said . . . SHUT UUUUP!"

-----

_One . . _

_Two . . _

_Three . ._

_Almost there._

A tiny green amoeba slowly inched through the ever so small vents of the tube's circulating air filter. It had taken Beast Boy a while to find it, what with it being hidden in the upper part of the tube and cast by the shadows of the ceiling, but he knew there had to be something of that nature around. His nose had picked up on the almost constant supply of fresh air and the Titans knew better than to lock one of their own in an air tight cage with no air supply. And so Beast Boy found himself carefully inching along and hoping to eventually find an exit.

Despite the futility of it all Beast Boy's craving for freedom would not allow him to relax his escape efforts. He had attempted to smash through the door again as a gorilla with the same results as before and after nearly crushing his internal organs when morphing to a T-rex (which he had to abort mid-shift to keep from dying) he decided that bigger was not necessarily better. As several small insects he had examined every nook and cranny of the tube to no avail. It literally was air tight, he had realized, thus leading him to his current escape attempt.

It seemed too perfect. Just shrink down to a microscopic size and squeeze through the air vents, right? Wrong. Beast Boy was currently on his third attempt with this plan. The first try he had been too overwhelmed to take the air current into consideration. He had been floating along as fast as he could, certain he would soon be free, when a sudden gust from within the machine blew him right back out into the tube. Believing that he had selected the wrong vent, he tried another that appeared to be sucking in the used air. This time he was able to glide along with the current what with it going the 'right way' this time. Imagine his surprise when another abrupt gust filled the vent and sent him spiraling back towards the beginning again.

This time he was taking things nice and slow. He grasped the edges of the vent as best as possible and slowly dragged his single-celled self along. He would not be taken by surprise this time, no siree. _And the sooner I get outta here and save Robin's sorry butt, the sooner I can show him just how wrong he is._ Beast Boy thought almost bitterly. _I'll show him I'm just as much a hero as he is! I'm not just some stupid little kid needing to be locked up. And when the others find out about this, they'll . . . huh? No! Not again!_

Beast Boy flattened himself against the bottom of the vent as a strong wind rushed over him. His eyes shut tightly and his cilia latched onto the vent as best they could. For a while it appeared that he would be able to withstand the fierce wind that longed to push him back. It was taking every bit of effort on his part but he was hanging on. Unfortunately for the poor amoeba, the wind had an endless supply of strength behind it while his was wearing thin.

Beast Boy felt himself begin to slide against the vent as the air slowly worked to loosen his grip. He clawed at the vent in an attempt to strengthen his grip but it was too late. The lower half of his body was already in mid air as his blob like arms held on for as long as they could before his strength had finally given out. There was little he could do as his tiny form was sent spinning back out of the air filter and was left to flutter about in the containment tube.

As the air gently carried him close enough to the bottom he transformed back to his human form and landed with an ungraceful flop. Drained of his energy from his relentless escape efforts and transformations, Beast Boy scooted himself against the wall and rested. He should have known, after all; if Cyborg builds it nobody breaks it. The man-machine must have also taken Beast Boy's amoeba form into consideration, what with him having him inside his body and all, and had some sort of fail safe feature that would sense a little green microbe attempting to squeeze through the vents.

It appeared Robin had won this round, but Beast Boy was far too exhausted to even get angry. He would get back at him, sooner or later, and when he did Robin would be sorry. "No, can't think like that." Beast Boy murmured to himself. "That's what got me in this mess in the first place." Even as he felt every bit justified in wanting to pound Robin into the ground he was not so stupid to not realize that would get him no where. He had to prove Robin wrong, show him that he could handle the monster within him, and to do that he would have to control his anger. It would take a lot of effort but once he did it, he would rub it in his leader's face and take every opportunity to shame him. "That'd show the jerk." he muttered again almost indifferently. "I'll show him up so badly he'll be begging for my forgiveness."

A smirk appeared lazily on the shape-shifter's lips and in its place just below his tired eyes it appeared almost sinister. "I bet right now he's getting his butt kicked and wishing he hadn't left me in here."

-----

Robin groaned and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he registered was the feel of warm concrete pressed against his right cheek and the taste of blood in his mouth. As another soft moan escaped him he felt it drizzle from his lips and down his chin. He found this a bit odd as, for all the pain he was in, his lips did not feel busted nor did a single tooth appear to be missing. As he began to take in his surroundings, he noticed that the HIVE agents were no where nearby. In their place he felt the presence of several people crowded around him.

Pushing himself up he heard a gentle collective gasp and the crowd began to back up away from him. He heard the approaching siren of an ambulance and a news chopper overhead. Now on his feet, Robin shook his head and the crowd backed away moreso. He glanced around, confused at their nervous expressions and wiped the blood away from his mouth. His eyes widened a bit when he felt more of the warm liquid smear on his face and as he pulled his hand away to look at it he gasped. His entire hand was splashed with blood and the fingertips of his gloves had been torn apart. He looked at his left hand and this glove was in the same condition as his right. Blood trickled from his palm and down his arm in tiny rivers but he did not feel a single cut or scratch anywhere on his hand.

"What happened?" he whispered, his words barely audible to himself. Glancing forward he noticed a medical crew piling out of the ambulance that had just arrived on the scene. A doctor was already on sight as the crew joined her in tending to what he guessed to be two or three injured people, though it was hard to tell through the crowd. Spectators that where not cautiously observing him had their backs pointed his way, watching the doctors work. Fearing that civilians had been injured during his confrontation with the agents, he jogged forward to get a closer look and perhaps be of assistance. While Robin was not a certified doctor by any means, he was very competent in terms of first aid. If there was anything he could do to help he felt obliged to do so. As he ran the crowd parted for him in an eager and nervous nature that reminded him of the flocks of birds he would run through on his occasional morning jogs through the park. While that behavior was perfectly normal for wild birds it was perplexing coming from average city people. _Time enough to worry about that later._

As the crowd pushed themselves aside for him, Robin slowed his pace to a mild trot. Once he had gotten closer he could make out the gentle moans of pain coming from the victims. "Excuse me?" he called out gently not wishing to startle the doctors. They appeared to be oblivious to his presence, continuing to work at a fast and professional pace. He took a cautious step forward, taking care to not interfere with their work, and leaned forward to get a look.

Upon seeing the victims, whom he had been suspecting were innocent bystanders, another gasp escaped him. Mammoth let out a strained groan as a towel was pressed against the blood gushing from his thigh. Red quickly stretched out over the towel as a tight belt was pulled around his leg to slow the massive blood loss. As he gritted his teeth to the pain, Mammoth winced when his contorted expression aggravated the dark bruises splashed about his face. There was a thin curtain of blood running down the left side of his head from what appeared to be a cut on his forehead. For the moment that injury had remained untouched what with his leg wound holding a mortal threat against the genetic giant.

Robin felt a smaller fluttering in his gut at the sight, but before he could begin to ponder at Mammoth's wounded body a sound had drawn his attention elsewhere. It was a loud hiss from Jinx in response to cotton being pressed against the bloody scratches on her face. Her eyes twitched uneasily at each dab and the smell of alcohol was easy to detect from the gauze. As painful as having one's scratches disinfected could be, Robin could tell she was far too disoriented from pain for that to be her only injury. Taking a glance at the paramedic tending her foot he could see what had been causing her discomfort. Her ankle was swollen to twice its normal size and her platform boots were shredded with blood oozing between the tears.

"Crud muffin . . ." Gizmo's feeble mutter drew Robin's attention to the tiny terror. His face was also speckled with an assortment to red and purple from various cuts and bruises but his left arm appeared to have taken the bulk of the damage. Blood ran down his limp arm like lava spurting from the mouth of a volcano, the volcano being a decently sized open wound on his shoulder. It nearly coated his entire left arm in red, which appeared to have been dislocated from his shoulder. It was as if some animal had come along and mauled the criminals.

"Who could've done this?" Robin whispered ever so softly. There was a mixture of horror and relief in his voice, both brought on my the atrocity of the wounds and comfort that this fate had not befallen the innocent. Taking out his communicator, Robin pulled up a map of the city sweeping it for any unusual signals or energy. The HIVE emblem had disappeared with the agents' defeat, leaving only Beast Boy's locater signal which was still stationary within the tower's infirmary. Robin had doubted that Beast Boy would have escaped in the first place. He scanned the map with more scrutiny a second time thinking that an Honorary Titan may have visited the vicinity. But once again only he and Beast Boy's locaters were visible, which worried Robin somewhat when Cyborg's signal did not appear from Fixit's junkyard lair. _He must've taken it offline for maintenance._

"Robin . . ." He whipped around at the sound of Craig Hank's, the chief of JC police, voice. Being startled out of his pondering and slight concern for the whereabouts of his robotic friend, he must have acquired a rather severe looking expression for the well built but regretfully short man stumbled when the Titan had so abruptly glanced his way. He already had his mouth open to speak, though now he appeared to have been startled as well and forgotten his words. "What happened?" Robin demanded before Hank could get a word in, but only succeeded in causing the normally firm and forward man to take a timid step back. Robin suppressed a growl of frustration. Whatever had happened, it was all too apparent that everyone was too shaken up to be of assistance.

Leaving the cops to clean up as they usually do, Robin turned tail and started back in the direction of the tower. He had thought for a moment that Hank made an attempt to call him back but pressed onward. If such a bold man as the chief of police could hardly muster the will to call him it was doubtful he would be able to explain what had happened. The crowd, while still thick with the curious, had began to disperse as the retreating ambulance sirens filled the air. There would not be too much more excitement occurring now that the criminals had been whisked away and it appeared that the city favored hero was not injured. The civilians that did stay remained huddled together, shuffling away nervously while he passed. It was almost as if they were afraid he would attack them.

_What in the world could've caused this?_ He wondered as he mounted his R-cycle. _Why are they so afraid?_

-----

Robin drummed his fingers on the computer console as the video was nearly downloaded. He had accessed the footage from the security cameras courtesy of the data network the police had available to the Titans. He was not certain how much the cameras would have been able to capture but most stores holding valuables had several at different angles. If one camera had not a clear shot of the battle another was certain to have.

The video had completed its download just as Robin redipped his wash cloth into a bowl of hot water. The water swirled with a dark shade of red as he rung it out and pressed it against his reopened wound. _Darn you, Jinx._ He thought with a hiss as the cloth stung his arm a bit. Mercifully the bleeding had gone down quite a bit but the room would still take him for an occasional sickening spin. He was thankful that, for the moment, the dizzy spells had appeared to have tired themselves with taunting him and left him to his work.

He pressed play on the player interface and leaned back, should the room suddenly twist around him. Four different screens bleeped to life, each from a different angle, and all providing a good view of the battle. He cautiously leaned forward as the footage began to play. The fight was just as he recalled it, so he paid little attention and scanned the area for any signs of animal-like heroes.

Even with his attention diverted, it was impossible to completely block out the battle as it unfolded. The tape had reached the part when Mammoth had him held under the arms and he gave him a reverse headbutt. Robin was barely able to conceal a smirk despite the circumstances. The next scene left that task impossible as it was rather satisfying to see Mammoth being blasted by his own teammates by mistake.

Robin felt a small burn of embarrassment as he swayed from dizziness and thus allowing the terrible trio to overtake him. In spite of the shame he felt towards his own weakness, he leaned forward in order to better scrutinize the situation. It was nearing the part where he had blacked out and there was still no sign of any other combatants. "Shut up!" he heard himself say from the screen. The taunts from the Hive members were silent but he could see their mouths move as the spoke. "I said . . . SHUT UUUUP!"

As his screech died down Jinx's howl of pain filled the air. Robin took a closer look and noticed his fingers digging into the ankle that pinned his wrist. She attempted to yank her foot away, releasing Robin's wrist in the process. Without a moment of hesitation he slashed his hand into Mammoth's thigh. Mammoth let out a titanic roar and let up on the foot upon his chest. Robin wondered for a moment why his finger tips would cause the such pain.

"Wait a second." he mumbled as he typed something into the computer. The video paused and Robin marqued the area he wished to view. A few more clicks on the mouse and the piece zoomed in. As the computer worked to reduce the pixalated image Robin let out a gasp. Though the image was not perfect it was quite apparent what had been potruding from his finger tips. "But that impossible!"

Robin glanced at his hands and began piecing everything together. The claws were gone but the slashed ends of his gloves finger tips left tell tale evidence. With a sick feeling overcoming him, Robin looked back at the screen as his taped self continued to maul Mammoth and sunk his fangs into Gizmo's shoulder when the boy jumped into the fray. "F. . . fangs?" he murmured as he zoomed in on the two protruding canines from his on screen counterpart. Lifting his fingers to his lips he felt no fangs but that did explain the metallic taste in his mouth.

Dread overcame him as he watched his digital counterpart maul the agents with animalistic ferocity. "This can't be right! I couldn't have. . ." his voice trailed off as he slowly began to recount his memories before everything slipped away. The last thing he clearly remembered was Jinx pinning his wrist down. The events afterward were fuzzy and distorted. He only really recalled shouting at them to shut up and being very, very angry. Angry enough " . . . to kill."

Robin looked back at the video to see himself pass out head first into the concrete, leaving his opponents sprawled out and bleeding on the street. Even though the battle had ended a wave of screams and terror erupted from the streets. Those that had been present to watch the fight in its entirety where stunned silent and pale as ghost to the horror they had witnessed. Those emerging from safety to view the aftermath were left in panic at the sight of four bloody bodies scattered across the street. The cries, though piercing, had become deaf to his ears as he could only stare at his immobile form soaking with the blood of his enemies. "I . . . I've become a monster!"

---To Be Continued---

Reviewer response time:

**Sarah Shima** - I'm glad that you liked the different perspectives in the previous chapter. I believe that this chapter will be the last 'predictable' one. You will see what I mean when you finish this chapter. So if you were looking forward to seeing how the plot unravels now I suspect this chapter will leave an even stronger yearning. Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it.

**Anon** - No, I cannot do a chapter like that as it would destroy the purpose of the story. This is a Robin/Beast Boy bonding adventure and any interference with the other Titans would take away from that. I am a bit ashamed that I used the cliche 'two Titans are left alone in the tower' story line but I have always had the fun idea of those two being alone for a whole week. It's an idea that just would not leave me alone so I had to heed its unruly call.

**Shadow Avenger **- No, not dead. Not yet anyway and I have no plans of dying anytime soon. An almost flawless chapter you say? I am glad to hear that. No matter how many times I re-read the chapter before submitting it there are always a few grammatical errors that sneak in. Cursed things. Pete the Repeat Parrot was a great toy. I liked to click his beak when recording so that in the playback it sounded like a horse galloping.

**Papersak** - Oh great, now that you've hugged Beast Boy to death I can't continue the story - coz he's dead. Good thing I've got a Phoenix Down. It is a rather hurtful thing to feel that you are not trusted. I'm sure Beast Boy appreciates the hug but next time try not to crush his internal organs. And now you hate Robin again? Curses! I was soo close to getting you to like him with the other chapter. Mark my words, I'll get you to like him by the end of this story. (shakes fist) You hear me!

And yes, writing the story down first is very helpful. I spend so much time at work that if I just wrote at home you'd still be waiting for chapter four. Optimizing free time is good.

**Doc-Trigger** - As well worth the wait the previous chapter was I will try not to let you guys wait too long for future installments. I'm glad that I still have a good grip on the boys' personalities. Oh, and you're welcome for the explaination at the end. I figured someone would be confuzzled by it. Thanks for your response!

**Wolffike** - 1. Almost made you cry huh? Good! Cry! Cry like you've never cried before! Black anger and whitish-grey saddness. I always associated anger with a dark blood like red and sadness with a dark blue but that works as well.

2. I'm kinda hungry myself and I made another chapter.

3. Hungry for another chapter are you? I hunger for my stupid writing muse to stop being lazy!

4. Makes perfect sense to me. My fanfic is very yummy, is it not?

**Hannah** - Hannah is a palindrome. Referring of course to one of the better short stories they made us read in 3rd grade. So I almost made you cry too? Excellent. /Mr. Burns Once again it is good to hear that I'm really getting the emotion out there. I hope this update was not too much of a wait for you.

**Mako-Magic** - 1. Yes, Robin probably should have explained it to Beast Boy before he left but he was under the impression that he was too overcome with emotion to understand. He had criminals to take down and a city that needed him so he had to put his priorities first. He also figured that by the time he was finished BB would've cooled down enough to understand why he did what he did.

2. No, Robin did not always have these "powers". How did they come to be? Is it related to his mental bond with Raven? Honestly, this is one of the things that just sort of came to be while I was writing the story and I did not want to let go of - I had no prior plans for him to have this ability. I have some ideas of where I would like to go with this but as I said in the previous chapter, to discuss them would destroy the delicious surprise.

3. It is rather sucky to be told that you will not be locked up, only to get locked up anyway. Poor kid is a mess, isn't he?

4. Cool! No worries then at all.

**PixieGirl13** - Okay, one thing that I would like to make clear right now. Robin is my favorite character. I know I may have let it easy to believe that I hated/did not like Robin and/or that Beast Boy was my favorite but this is not true.

Robin is indeed my _favorite_ character on Teen Titans. I do like Beast Boy as well but he is only my third favorite, the second place spot going to Raven. So why am I making him out to be the badguy in this story? Well, I'm not. Rather, I'm not _trying_ to anyway. I'm attempting to protray Robin as a guy that's trying to do the right thing, even if it hurts one of his closest friends.

In a very real sense, Robin is being forced to answer the one question no hero wants to be asked.

Given the choice between saving millions of lives or saving someone you really care about, who will you choose?

Robin's just a kid himself and has a lot of responsibility to shoulder. Robin's going to make mistakes and do things that seem down right cold and cruel but let's face it, no one is perfect. So that's all I'm really trying to make Robin out to look like - just a poor kid trying to do the right thing but making a lot of mistakes in the process.

But I'm not surprised that you had mistaken that I'm trying to make Robin out as the villian. I guess most people are used to seeing the main hero _always_ know what to do and _always_ know what to say and _never_ mess up. I'm rather sick of seeing that, though, which is why I like Robin. He's protrayed as an actual human that is prone to making the wrong choice or coming off as a jerk, as seen in "Masks", "Apprentice", "X", "Haunted", "The Beast Within" and other such episodes. If the main hero is perfect then it is just not interesting.

Okay, I think I've rambled on about that long enough. Thank you for your review and kind words. To hear that my writing skills are 'one in a million' as you put it tells me that my efforts are well spent. I would once again like to thank everyone who reviewed as they always make my day. I hope you all enjoy the next installment!

**Pasha ToH** - I figure after what Robin had done in chapter 6 a lot of people would not be happy with him. Can't really blame anyone though. Thanks for your review.

**To Everyone**: Please let me know if I'm going a bit overboard with the violence for a PG rating. I do not plan to tone down the violence if it is a bit extreme but let me know if I should raise the rating. I think it is fine at PG but I would like to know what you think as well. Thanks for reading!


	8. Contagious

It is finally here! Chapter eight is here! I know I had promised it would be complete sooner but this chapter proved to be a big challenge character wise. You'll see what I mean at the end.

Anyway, as we are no longer allowed to have reviewer responses in our stories you all should have received one in the mail - if you did not it's because you were not signed it but that does not mean I apperciate your reviews any less. If you do not have an account and would like a response, just leave your email address in the review. But regardless, to all of you I say "Thanks for your patience and enjoy the story!"

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 8: Contagious

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Aza - ahh this isn't working!"

Beast Boy cringed with frustration in his cross legged stance mimicking that of Raven. He had been trying to meditate like her for the past hour but he just could not get himself to calm. How the heck did that girl do it? "There has to be more to it than that chant thing she says." He ran a fist through his hair, scrubbing his scalp mercilessly in thought. Then he recalled overhearing Raven imparting her advice to Starfire during one of their pair meditation sessions. _"Focus, find your center. Try not to think of anything but your breathing."_ Closing his eyes, Beast Boy took a deep breath. "Focus. Find your center." he mumbled to himself. He opened his mouth and slowly drew in a deep breath. Just as slowly he released it and began taking in another. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing out. Brea. . .

_What does that mean? 'Find your center'?_

"Shut up brain! You're not supposed to think!" Beast Boy growled, annoyed that this train had been wrecked. After a few seconds of seething at his intruding thoughts he realized he was doing the opposite of what he wished to accomplish. Clearing his throat he began again. He drew in a slow and steady breath through his mouth and released it in the same manner. For almost a minute he had been able to hold the pattern. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing ou. .

_Hmm. . . gettin' kinda hungry._

"Brain! What did I tell you!"

And once again he began. Breathing in. Breathing out. Bre. . .

_Wouldn't mind having some lasagna. Veggie of course._

"Seriously, you need to stop it! Don't make me come up there!"

And once _again_ he began. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing . . .

_Lasagna!_

"Arg! Shut up brain!" Beast Boy screeched, grasping harshly at his temples. "We are not having lasagna!"

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Beast Boy yelped at the tired and rough voice that appeared so suddenly. Jumping slightly, he was not too terribly surprised to see Robin standing before him looking absolutely ragged. Still being startled out of an attempted deep meditation and embarrassed at being caught cursing his brain had risen his heart rate to an uncomfortable level. Patting his chest in an almost reassuring manner, Beast Boy's heart began to slow and his breathing evened out. Once he had calmed himself he realized just how roughed up Robin appeared.

His uniform was tattered and torn in various locations and the ends of his gloves appeared to have been ripped to shreds. Though the only visible bleeding was coming from the regrettable bite wound, Beast Boy could see the splotches of blood soaked into his clothes despite Robin's obvious and futile attempts to wash them out. The most notable trait had been his voice. When he had spoken it was very much like his curt tone when engrossed in research or handing out commands. Yet there was a subtle softness to it; almost broken. Robin had obviously paid for leaving him in there to fight alone but Beast Boy could not, even in his state of loathing, muster the tiniest smirk. Saying 'I told you so' was not nearly as satisfying as he had imagined.

"Dude, are you okay?" Beast Boy asked, having to force his voice out into an almost undistinguished squeak. "I'm fine." Robin answered shortly and quickly walked to the control panel by the wall. His movements appeared stiff, as if trying to hide an injury, but Beast Boy was certain it was not caused by any physical wound. He could not quite put his finger on it.

"I ordered you some lunch from that vegetarian grill you like." Robin's strained voice hissed as he pressed one of the console's several flashing buttons. "Thought you might be hungry." The door opened with a quick squeak, startling the occupant. As Beast Boy stepped free from the glass prison he noticed the clear bag containing a white styrofoam box dangling weakly from Robin's hand. Just as he began to smell the delicious aroma of vegetarian cuisine he also caught the fainted whiff of blood long washed from Robin's body. Things had gotten bloody during the battle against the HIVE, that much was certain.

"Here." Robin's arm shot out almost like a jab to Beast Boy, causing him jump and cover his face to block the 'punch'. When said punch never landed he cautiously removed his arms and saw the lunch swinging back and forth from the swift movement. Beast Boy gingerly took the box though his appetite had taken a considerable plunge. Robin stiffly padded passed the changeling and walked towards the infirmary's large computer system. As he settled himself into a chair and began typing hastily, Beast Boy too found a comfortable sitting place on a nearby cot and watched the stressed workaholic.

He tilted his head slightly as he watched him, his mouth curling into an observant half frown. Though he was not known for always knowing how to act around certain people, Beast Boy could read the actions of those he knew well and right now Robin's body language was of a foreign and rather disturbing tongue. Though his fingers were flying over the keys at a rapid pace his movements were feeble and jerky. The steeled determination he usually displayed when researching was gone. His eyes were narrowed into their usual focused and angry slits but would twitch as if staving off fatigue every few seconds or so. His mouth, which would normally be settled into an easy and concrete frown, also twitched ever so slightly. It was almost as if he were embracing his anger, holding onto it tightly as though he would fall apart without it.

Beast Boy watched him for a while and picked at his meal. It was becoming all too apparent that something else had happened aside from a massive butt whooping. As he chewed his spinach his eyes narrowed and a spark of anger returned to him. The shock of seeing his leader in such a sorry state dissolved away into his previous state of rage. Aside from the bite wound and bruises, Robin was not too worse for wear. Robin was obviously healthy enough to work _and _completely ignore him at the same time. Nothing wrong with him physically. Even after all Robin had done to him that day he still showed concern for his well being. His kindness was rewarded with short commands and a cold shoulder.

Simply put, Beast Boy was annoyed. With the concern for Robin's well being gone, a darker part of him relished at the site of his beaten body and spirit. At the same time a kinder and more rational part of him scolded his mean thoughts and expressed concern for his mental health. The subtle changes in his behavior were enough to raise a red flag lest he revert back into his dark, brooding, 'I am Batman' mode. As the opposing emotions whirled fiercely within him, he could only imagine what had happened and why Robin would not tell him. _Isn't it obvious?_ The loathing dark part of him whispered. _He doesn't trust you, remember?_

As Beast Boy struggled to swallow a green bean Robin was resting his elbows on the console and massaging his forehead. Cyborg's locater signal was still offline as was Raven's. He did not even bother to contact Starfire; he was certain he could not contact her from deep space anyway. For two of the three that were unreachable it was to be expected. Yet Robin could only fathom what Raven was up to that would cause her line of connection to be disabled. He hoped that she was unharmed and simply needed time alone. He trusted her to be able to fend for herself, but he could not help but feel a whisper of anxiety nibble at the back of his mind. He quickly forced his anger to over take it and silenced it immediately. _I've got enough on my plate as it is. _Guilt at forsaking concern for his friend attempted a turn to bite at him, but that feeling was hushed as well.

Letting out a sharp sigh, Robin switched off the tracking program and browsed through the medical history. As Beast Boy's file began loading he swiftly got out of his chair, leaving it to spin in his wake from the momentum. He stormed to the supply drawer and yanked it open with a less than docile force. A tiny avalanche roared from within, as the supplies slid violently across the drawer, and from the now cluttered mess Robin fished out a syringe.

Beast Boy had finally managed to swallow his second fork full of food when he heard the quick tempo of steel upon tile drawing towards him. "I need to take some of your blood." Robin spoke, barely giving him enough time to notice the needle as he looked up. He cringed in response, partly from annoyance at the command but mostly from his distaste of needles. Beast Boy set his food aside and begrudgingly rolled up his sleeve. Despite the angry growl that rumbled in his throat he was not feeling up to a confrontation. Even in his subtle weakened state Robin managed to be intimidating. That aside, the last thing Beast Boy wanted to do was prove him right; that he could not handle his own inner demon.

As Beast Boy focused his eyes on the far corner of the room Robin roughly wiped alcohol on his arm. In doing so he could feel a mild heat spreading around him. So Beast Boy was peeved was he? Too bad! Robin was far too preoccupied with the events that had transpired earlier to be concerned with his friend's less than sunny mood. _How could I have let this happen? _ He seethed as he savagely threw the alcohol soaked cotton ball into a nearby trash bin. _Stop that. Getting angry won't help._ What had remained of his rational gently whispered to him to keep his anger under control.

Robin hissed quietly in response, knowing what was said was correct but agitated all the same. Unfortunately for Beast Boy's arm it became the target of such agitation. Robin scarcely heard his small whimper of discomfort as he roughly tightened a rubber strap around his upper arm, though it was enough to get him to look up. Beast Boy's eyes were clenched shut tightly and his upper lip was curled into a tiny snarl. For a moment, the familiar expression brought forth a sense of mild nostalgia as this was Beast Boy's consistent response to needles during the Titans' semi annual physicals. An amused memory attempted to bubble unwelcomingly to the surface, bringing with it an intense feeling of regret and sympathy towards the present situation, but Robin suppressed it quickly and without mercy.

He was not certain what would have caused him to recall such a repetitive and insignificant event but he could not allow himself to be distracted. There was far too much at stake for him to be side tracked and he would not let anything get in his way. Beast Boy shuddered audibly as the needle penetrated his skin. The sound caused a speck of guilt to begin twirling in his mind but Robin quickly forced his frustration to come crashing upon it. He churned it around savagely in a whirlpool of anger until it broke apart and dissolved.

Finishing quickly, he placed a band-aid on Beast Boy's arm and retreated back to the computer console. He worked mechanically, injecting the blood into a small tube to be tested and taking another syringe. He focused on his arm as he wrapped the same rubber strap around it and pricked himself. Beast Boy's cringe could be felt behind him as he watched Robin taking his own blood. He shut his eyes tightly, attempting to block out the shape shifter from his thoughts completely. Robin may not have been aware of the emotional wreck he was but he could feel himself begin to break down at the mere thought of regret, sympathy or sorrow.

Normally he was composed and ready for high stress situations as such. Far worse emotionally draining catastrophes had come his way than this. Yet here he was, on the verge of breaking down into hysterics and the only way to prevent this was to get angry, stay angry and try not to think of anything but working towards a solution. _What is _wrong _with me? _he thought bitterly. He could not find it in himself to let Beast Boy in on what had happened or tell him how he had not meant to hurt his feelings by locking him up. He felt his composure slip away each time he dared to do so. He felt trapped, knowing that anger was his only means of functioning but also knowing that getting too angry could unleash the monster he had become.

He nearly tore the syringe from his arm and jammed it into a small plastic tube marked with his name. He all but threw both his and Beast Boy's blood into the computer's scanner, which had given and estimated time of thirty minutes before the diagnostic could be complete. Robin let out a long sigh of exhaustion and placed one hand on the console, leaning into it and rubbing his forehead. Thirty minutes was too long. He needed answers now. He needed to know what was causing Beast Boy's mutation as well as his own. He needed " . . . rest."

Rest, actually did not sound that bad at the moment. Exhaustion washed over him with abrupt force but he shook it off, though he knew he could only stave it for so long. Robin tightened his grip on his one stable emotion, struggling through the toll the battle and discovery of his transformation had taken on his body, if only long enough to reach the nearest cot. Fumbling through the drawers of the cot's night stand he pulled out a small alarm clock and proceeded to wind it up. It was standard practice that when a Titan falls ill, even with something as seemingly insignificant as a cold, he or she was to wait out the sickness in the infirmary to prevent the disease from being passed around. It was not uncommon to find items such as books, tooth brushes, and small radios cluttered around the sick bed night stand.

Placing the set alarm clock on the stand, Robin crawled into the cot and had been oblivious to the observing changeling until he had spoken. "Taking a nap?" Beast Boy asked, reasonably annoyed at his relaxed indifference. His question was not answered with words but by Robin's form which seemed to deflate as the tension left him. "So I guess I get my bathroom break now, right?"

"You can leave the infirmary if you want, but don't leave the tower." Robin muttered, his voice half muffled by the pillow.

"Wasn't planning on it."

"Didn't think so."

As Beast Boy slid off his own cot to exit the infirmary, his head sunk into his shoulders and his ears drooped down. "You know, I'm not as stupid as you think I am." He whispered ever so gently though one could visualize the venom dripping from his tongue. He glanced over his shoulder to see Robin settling into the cot and start to doze off. His lip stiffened into a snarl but melted away scarcely a second later. It was a lot easier to hate Robin when he was not passed out from exhaustion. It was common knowledge that when he got into his research, Robin could, and would, go for days without sleep. Perhaps he was not in as good health as he thought he was.

_Well, what else is new? He probably got poisoned during the fight or something but would rather suffer and risk dying than tell anyone. _The thought refueled Beast Boy's anger and he quickly shut his eyes, snapping his head forward with a mild snort. Robin's pride always had to come first, didn't it? Well before his friendships came on the priority list anyway. "I'm going to the restroom." He said forcing a monotone as he stepped through the door. _Sleep well, jerk. When I tell Cyborg about what you did, it'll be the last peaceful sleep you'll ever know._

------

John Doe panted as he clutched his stolen goods to his chest, the weight of which nearly causing him to tip over. Sweat covered his face and soaked his ski mask, adding to the unpleasant smell of garbage that surrounded him. He glanced behind him and saw that he was not in pursuit but did not relax his efforts. He huffed up a particularly steep garbage hill and slide down the other side, cringing slightly at the stitch in his side.

"Have you obtained your objective?" a voice crackling into his ear piece. He looked around a bit before replying, a small breath of relief and mild wonderment burst from his mouth, for the victim of his crime appeared to be oblivious to it. "I have!" he stopped to take in a gulp of air. "And it's frickin' heavy!"

"Take a right at the next street. Towards the curb there's a drain to the sewer you should be able to squeeze through."

John Doe nodded in acknowledgement and trotted onward. Upon crossing the fences and reaching the sidewalk he paused for only a moment to check for any cars or pedestrians. Seeing only the tiny, retreating tail lights of a car long since passed he continued on. The sewer drain awaited at the curb as promised and he practically dove into the street. He did not even acknowledge any bruises or scraps he received doing so. The adrenaline gushing around his blood at the mere thought of being caught distracting him from such.

Perhaps he was acting rather paranoid considering that he was within reach of a clean getaway. Well, as clean as one could get with all things considered, and he hoped he could get the smell out of his clothes by this afternoon. Though if one were to know from whom he had been stealing, he or she would lose a breath to wonderment as well – wonderment that he had not defecated in his undergarments yet. The fear was still with him and much to his pleasant surprise, he had found it to be more of a benefit than a crutch. One could be amazed at the speeds and endurance adrenaline can provide. With said fear in mind, he struggled to push his stolen good through the concrete slot and cringed when it refused to budge.

"It's not going in!" he hissed with a few grunts.

"Well don't be gentle." The voice crooned.

A few planted kicks later and the item finally budged through the wedge and cluttered on the sewer floor. Sucking in his breath, John Doe squeezed in after it. "Did you hear what happened to Bird Boy?" a different, and notably younger, voice crackled as he landed with a mild splash. A violent shudder shot up his body when his feet made contact with the murky water. Instantly it had soaked through his shoes and socks and nausea spread through his body upon contact. Picking up the soaked item with a petite gag, he replied. "I've kinda been busy during the past hour or so, so no."

"Well, he - hey! Give it back!"

"Never mind that for now." the older voice from before said; the one of the younger gentleman began ranting in the background at having been interrupted. "We shall inform you upon your return."

"About that," he paused to take his ski mask off, which was becoming unbearably itchy, but stopped upon noticing his hand was covered with the sewer water. Gagging for the second time, he continued after forcing the bile back down where it belonged. "After I dropped this off I was wondering if I could go to my . . uh . ."

"Your 'appointment'." the voice finished for him. "Of course you may but do get back here as soon as possible."

"Believe me, I don't want to spend another . . . ahhh! Sewer rat!" If he was not currently in the sewer, dodging rats and any other unpleasantries he encountered, he would have seen the owner of the voice massaging his temples. He was thankful that his employee had pulled of the task thus far, but he wondered if all his new henchmen had to do so at the cost of his and their own dignity. _Good help is so hard to find these days._

------

Beast Boy stood on the roof of the tower as the wind brushed through is messy green locks. He stared at the city and curtly pushed what had to be the tenth breath out of his nose. Like a rusty and impatient pendulum, his left foot scraped across the concrete back and forth as he restlessly struggled with the decision that plagued his mind. At least three times his body had twitched into a crouching position, ready to launch off the roof and form into a bird, only to have his muscles freeze and the persistent scraping of his foot begin again.

He clamped his hands behind his back and began pacing back and forth. After attending to his business in the restroom he had come up to the roof, resolved to leave and find Cyborg. His robot buddy would certainly know how to handle the situation and though he hated to intrude on his maintenance Beast Boy was certain he would forgive him given the circumstances. It seemed like a perfectly good plan. The only problem, of course, being that it required Beast Boy to actually go out and find him. This part was experiencing a minor set back. "What's wrong with me? Why can't I leave?"

Even at the thought of flying off Beast Boy would get the feeling of guilt fluttering about hotly in his gut. "I'm not the one who started this mess!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he threw his arms overhead. "What do I have to feel guilty for?"

"_You'd be going against Robin's orders. He asked you not to leave."_

"Why? So he can throw me back in that tube again?"

"_You know he did that for a reason. He was doing it to protect the civilians. He was doing it to protect _you_."_

"Well, maybe. But he said he wouldn't throw me in jail! So what's he do? Lock me up! He went against his word!"

"_Now you know that's not true. You're not in jail and you're still on the team. He's also made a promise to protect this city. You know he can't go back on that."_

Beast Boy sighed at that and slowly walked over to the edge of the roof to sit down. Resting his chin in his hands, he kicked his feet slightly and listened to the gentle scrapes of them hitting the concrete wall. "I know how important our job is." He paused for a moment, lifting his head from his hands and looked upward towards the sky. "Really I do. It's just that . . . sometimes he, oh I dunno." He leaned back slowly until he was lying down and laced his hands over his stomach. "I feel like he just doesn't trust me! He didn't even give me a chance to prove that I could control it!"

"_Well you do remember that he had to make a quick decision. He didn't want to risk anything without knowing what was going on." _

"But I already showed him I could control my powers! He even said that I could! What more does he need to know?"

_"You'll just have to ask him yourself."_

Beast Boy pushed himself up on his elbows angrily. "I already tried that, remember? He just walked away like I was nothing!"

"_Well he didn't exactly have time to stay and chat. He had to go. And besides, if he didn't trust you, why would he let you wander around while he slept?"_

"Because he's trying to trick me!" Beast Boy said, allowing himself to fall back on the roof with a 'thud' and cross his arms over his chest tightly. "He said that he already knew I wasn't going to leave so he let me out. He wants me to _think_ the he trusts me so that I won't get the others on my side! So that he can trick me into doing whatever he wants me to!"

"_And _now_ who's being paranoid?"_

This silenced Beast Boy instantly, though he did take in a rather noisy and resentful gulp of air.

"_Beast Boy, just talk to him." _

"That's not gonna happen. He wasn't exactly in his most chatty of moods back there."

_"He was probably just tired. I'm sure he'll be more willing to talk when he wakes up."_

He blew up a breath causing a small tuff of bangs on his forehead to flutter.

"_Besides, you know he's still your friend. You guys may not have been as close as we were but he's not going to turn his back on you. Not after everything you've been through. Give him a chance to say his peace."_

"What about _my _peace? What about what I want to say to him?"

_"What do you want to say to him? More importantly, what do you want to hear from him?"_

Beast Boy chewed on that for a moment. It was not really necessary, for he knew exactly what he wanted. Somehow he feared that saying his wish out loud would only bring about opposing results, much like the penalty for speaking of a birthday wish or one placed upon a shooting star. _Then again, _he thought _that's practically what's happening right now. I don't really have much to lose._

"I just want to know what's going on. To know that he trusts me, even a little."

_"Then tell him that. Who knows? You may not even have to say anything at all."_

The chewing of his lip commenced as Beast Boy's brows knit together. It was a nice thought but much easier said than done. He rolled onto his stomach, feeling his feet dangle off the edge of the building, and watched a tiny ant crawl by no more than an inch away from his nose. His eyes easily followed the insect scurrying about and he barely registered the sound of his own index finger scraping into the concrete. "Well, I guess I could give him one more chance." That seemed fair enough, if not insanely generous on his part considering that Robin himself once said "Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice . . . you can't fool me again!"

"No, wait. That was someone else." Getting to his feet, Beast Boy was mindful not to step on the ant as he brushed the dirt and gravel from his uniform. "Okay, Robin gets one more chance." Taking one last deep breath he looked up to realize just how far away the roof door seemed all of a sudden. _Just typical._ With a big step forward, once again mindful of his insect friend, he began his journey back to the infirmary. "I just hope you're right about this, Terra."

------

Robin shot up into a sitting position and clasped his hands around his throat. Rather than feeling hot gushing blood or a gaping wound like he had expected his neck felt cold and clammy with sweat. His jugular pushed frantically against his fingers in response to the nightmare, though he was too intent to calm his erratic breathing to notice much. The alarm clock on the bedside table, which until then had been crouched and silently awaiting its prey, chose that moment to strike. The abrupt blare startled the disoriented teen and the clock proceeded to screech at him rhythmically. With a short cry, Robin's hand smacked down upon the clock, silencing it forever as the annoying mechanic whoops were replaced by the sound of snapped plastic. He stared at the now useless clock while his mind registered his surroundings. Taking a long breath in relief he slid the clock off the stand and into the trash bin waiting below. He doubted anyone would be upset about its loss and it was easy enough to replace anyway.

Robin felt rather rejuvenated in spite of his nap being short and disrupted by a nasty dream. It was quite nice to feel much of his strength restored to him, but with that strength came disappointment. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair before going to the console and pulling up the diagnostics. The events before he had fallen asleep came back to him and he was rather displeased with how he handled it. Although he acknowledged that he was in a state of surprise, to say the least, from what he had witnessed and completely exhausted from the battle, he could not excuse himself from acting so indifferent and angry. Beast Boy deserved to know what was going on.

Before that could happen, Robin had to be certain of what was going on himself. He had a hunch. It made perfect sense but he had learned not to assume anything. Still, it was hard not to hope what he thought was the truth for if it was, this whole mess could be cleared up just in time for dinner. He impatiently tapped on the console keyboard as the results came up. As he browsed through the results he could not help but bite his lip. If everything had been just as he expected that would have been troublesome enough, though relatively easy to resolve in hindsight. However Robin's bad day was just getting started with him.

"Great." He hissed as he pressed two fingers to his forehead. He glared at the monitor as he began massaging his head in tiny circles. There were a few things Robin did and did not like about hunches. More often than not, he found that his hunches were correct. This was helpful as he usually had a way to resolve the problem at hand based on said hunch. On the other hand, hunches could be misleading, lead to false hope and set his plans astray. Hunches were fickle things and he sometimes wished he could have a hunch as to whether his hunch was correct or not. It would certainly make accepting a dissatisfying truth a lot easier.

Robin rechecked the information, hoping against hope that he had misread it and would catch something more in his favor. Alas the re-reading only confirmed what he wished against. "Well, better get the hard part over with." he mumble as he took out his communicator. Receiving bad news was one thing. Being the one to deliver such news was worse. Robin could not help but stare at the large 'T' engraved into the device, which stared back with matching intensity. The hesitation that now plagued him was guilt induced, brought on by the fact that even after all the less than polite things he had said and done to Beast Boy he could only report the negative. Oddly enough, the guilt made him feel good. At least, in feeling badly, he did not feel like total scum anymore.

Flipping the communicator open, Robin opened his mouth to summon Beast Boy when a loud hiss cut him off. He looked up and over to the infirmary doors and saw the above mentioned Titan let himself in. His communicator closed with a loud snap and Robin was thankful that phase one of 'break the news' was effortlessly completed on his part. Phase two, 'conversation starter' was not going to be as easy. "Robin, we need to talk." Oh, never mind then.

Beast Boy was of course oblivious that he was actually helping Robin get to where they both needed to be. That said he stiffly held himself as if awaiting backlash for his command, much like he had done so earlier that morning. _But this time, I'm going to get it right._ There was no retaliation as Robin nodded his head in acknowledgement. "You're right. We do." He turned towards the computer. "Take a look at the screen."

For a moment, Beast Boy thought to protest and demand that his peace be said first and foremost. He had made his way back to the infirmary bent and determined that Robin hear what he had to say. There had been some concern that he would push too hard and only make Robin more angry but he felt more than justified in stating his case. He was not about to let himself be cut off again. That is, until his traitor eyes disobeyed him yet again and involuntarily flickered towards the screen.

Though in truth the images were vaguely familiar at best, Beast Boy felt his heart rate rise as a mild flutter of excitement beat against his ribcage. Robin was going to let him in on what was going on. _He could be trying to trick me, but maybe . . . maybe he does trust me, even a little. _It was hard for Beast Boy to let go of his optimistic nature but considering the series of disappointments and hurt he experienced just that morning, no one could blame him for placing up a guard. Though he tried not to hope he found it nearly impossible, but he had to be sure. So he complied and examined the screen all the while bracing himself for the worst but hopeful all the same.

"Uhh . . . ." Beast Boy had a finger scratching his chin and ears drooped adorably as he peered at the screen. "What's it mean?"

"It means that the chemical you had originally been doused with during your fight with Adonis has been reactivated." Robin said as he typed on the keyboard. A small window appeared in the upper left hand corner, displaying the medical file from Beast Boy's first contact. "Reactivated!" Beast Boy's ears shot up in response and he gaped at his companion. "But Cyborg cured me! He gave me an antidote!"

"It only suppressed the effects." Robin shook his head slightly as he enlarged the smaller window until it took up half of the screen. "Take a look at that." He motioned to the two windows. Both displayed a blood sample taken from the resident shape shifter and both looked painfully similar for the untrained eye. However, the right and more recent display did show signs of what appeared to be a static like disturbance in the DNA structure. Beast Boy fervently looked between the two. "Dude, you know I can't understand this." He said as his brow creased in frustration. "Just tell me what it means!"

With another nod, Robin motioned towards a nearby cot. "Have a seat and try to remain calm." Famous last words to Beast Boy, this only caused a whirlwind of less than desirable scenarios to arise in his mind. "I'm dying, aren't I?" the words flew from his mouth before he even realized he was speaking. Robin had anticipated some sort of distressful reaction but not quite that. "No, Beast Boy, you're not dying. Now please sit down and listen." He did so.

"Because of your shape-shifting DNA, the chemical you were first exposed to was absorbed into your body." Robin began. "The antidote Cyborg had given you suppressed it but it never completely went away. It became just as much a part of you as all the other animals inside of you."

"I know. I could still feel it ever since that day." Beast Boy cut in gently as he moved a hand to his chest. "Whenever I got angry or upset I could feel it begging me to let it out, but I never had any trouble keeping it inside."

"That's because nothing was forcing it, until today." Robin moved back to the computer console and began opening more small windows as well as his own medical file much to Beast Boy's confusion. "Whatever you've recently been exposed to is not designed to create a new creature but rather to re-awaken the old one. It's forcing the beast to take over your genetic make up."

Robin had predicted the bitter feeling that assaulted him after that statement. Despite the nauseating scent of another's fear he was able to keep himself composed for Beast Boy's inevitable verbal outburst. "It's happening again? I'm turning into that . . . I might. . . what are we gonna do!"

Robin recoiled slightly as he was assaulted by the suffocating mist. He felt almost as if he were within a sauna, the uncomfortable heat of panic causing him to sweat but the underlining terror crystallizing his perspiration into ice, both boiling him from the outside and freezing his core. His body was overrun by nausea from the extreme temperatures churning his organs. _This is going to kill me sooner or later. _Robin thought as he placed a hand on each of Beast Boy's shoulders and held him down, gently yet still enough to keep him still.

"The chemical is agitating your emotions. It's using them against you. You have to calm down."

"Calm down?" Beast Boy repeated, attempting to force his breath into relaxation. He paused in his words to take in several gasps of air. "Okay." Another gasp. "I'll try." Still breathing heavily, he moved a pair of fingers to his temples and began massaging them in circles. Slowly he began to pour out the strangest mantra Robin had ever heard though it delivered the desired results. Beast Boy had managed to calm himself down, though amid random chants of "mega monkeys", "Azarath", "lasagna".

"Sweet, delicious, vegetarian lasagna."

If Robin had not been wearing a mask, one would have seen him blink several times in confusion. Crossing his arms and arching a brow, he said "What is with you and lasagna today?" The response came in the form of a low grumble from Beast Boy's tummy, quite and timid, though loud enough for them both to hear it. Dropping his hands, Beast Boy wrapped his arms around his midsection and looked away as a small crimson hue tinted his cheeks. Robin shook his head slowly then glanced over to where Beast Boy had left his uneaten meal. "I see you hardly touched the lunch I got you." he said as he retrieved it and walked back to present it to Beast Boy a second time.

Beast Boy accepted the meal now feeling his hunger from before coming back with a vengeance. Though the issue at hand appeared to have taken a temporary back seat in his mind, it was not difficult to tell that Beast Boy was deeply disturbed by what was happening. Robin watched as he ate in even and steady paces as opposed to his normally frantic eating habits. Ignoring the hunger induced gurgles from his own stomach, he leaned back onto the cot beside Beast Boy, arms still crossed, and directed his attention at the wall just ahead of him. "Try and eat quickly. We've got quite a bit of work ahead of us."

"You have a plan?" he asked through a mouthful of spinach, though it was more of a hopeful statement than a question. It was true that he was currently formulating a plan but that would only come after revealing the magnitude of the problem to Beast Boy. The thought of doing so made Robin's empty stomach churn uneasily. How would Beast Boy react when he found out things were only going to get worse?

Robin glanced over from his wall to see Beast Boy licking his fork clean and the food that had filled the carton to the brim vanished. "You done?" Dropping his fork in the container, he nodded and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Yeah, thanks. It was good." Hopping off the cot he dropped the remains of his lunch into the trash. "So . . . we just need to make some more of Cy's antidote and I'll be cured, right?"

Robin braced himself as he walked back towards the computer. "I wish it were that easy." he said as brought up a new window. Crossing his arms as he awaited for it to load, he looked towards his feet to avoid seeing Beast Boy's face. "Remember when I said the chemical was different? Well, the cure Cyborg came up with isn't compatible with this one. I can't make an antidote for this one without a sample of it in its pure form. We need to track down whoever is responsible for this."

"Well, that shouldn't be too hard." Beast Boy replied. "I can always turn into a bloodhound and . . ." He felt a familiar bubble of anger grow within him in response to the expression Robin was now throwing his way. It was that _look_ again, the tell tale 'I'm the leader and it's my way or the highway' look. The one that he generally gave Beast Boy when he need to be quiet or when he was biting off more than he could chew. But for the moment, he knew it as the 'I'm going to crush your hopes and dreams and lock you back up in a big plastic tube because you can't be trusted to do anything' look.

"Fine! I see how it is!" Beast Boy said furiously. _I can't believe I actually started to think this jerk trusted me! _He jumped down from the cot angrily and the infirmary was filled with the echoing claps of his stomping feet. "Seeing as how I'm going to probably be locked up from here until infinity, I'll just go get my comics."

"No."

Beast Boy whirled around to face him, feeling slightly lightheaded from the effort and rage. "So what? No I'm not even allowed to have some kind of entertainment while you lock me up for the rest of the week?"

"You won't need it Beast Boy. You're coming with me."

If Robin had anything less than a steel grip on himself, he would have reached up to wipe the forming sweat from his forehead. Not a minute ago the frightening volcanic atmosphere from earlier had filled the infirmary. His heart was racing as he felt Beast Boy move dangerously close to another transformation and he knew the only way to head it off was to tell him something he wanted to hear. It worked, because the heat quickly dissipated and Beast Boy was left feeling mildly confused and understandably skeptic. He need not have felt that way, because while Robin was indeed saying what he wanted to hear, it was no less authentic.

With a rare and serious look on his face, Beast Boy approached Robin with an arched brow. "So why the turn about face?" The raven haired boy's form was noticeably tense. Almost reluctantly he began typing on the console in the same mannerisms displayed before. "There's something you need to see." he finally responded just scarcely over a whisper. "Its about my battle against the HIVE today." Robin continued as he lifted his head to face the screen. "Its about what the chemical is doing to you," he paused for a gulp. "And what it can do to others."

"What do you mean 'what it can do to others'?"

Beast Boy's thoughts were interrupted as a video began playing on the screen. It was of the confrontation Robin had had with the HIVE not too long ago. Though nothing appeared abnormal at first the video had captured his attention. He could not resist smirking as Mammoth was attacked by his own teammates and feeling a twinge of guilt upon seeing Robin sway from blood loss, no doubt caused by his own bite. As exciting as the playback was Beast Boy found himself getting restless. It really did not appear to be that much different from their normal battles. He glanced at Robin for only a second before being motioned to look back at the screen, which instantly recaptured his attention upon seeing Robin pinned to the ground by the three menacing HIVE agents.

_Robin got his butt kicked just like I said he would._ Beast Boy deducted upon seeing no possible out way for Robin in his current state. _But what does he mean by how it will effect . . . _

_"I said . . . SHUT UUUUP!"_

If the raging outburst from the screen was not enough to startle Beast Boy out of his thoughts, what happened next certainly did. Beast Boy's jaw dropped upon seeing the horror that displayed on the screen. Granted he was never one to take kindly to the HIVE children but violence of that magnitude was enough to turn anyone a bit queasy. Beast Boy could practically smell the animalistic rage. When he was finally able to tear his eyes from the on screen carnage he could only gape wordlessly at Robin. In turn, Robin faced him, his expression set into his trademark determined glares.

"That animal, that beast within you," he paused from his explanation to gently clutch his bandaged wound. "It's contagious."

To Be Continued. . .

Man that chapter was hard. I had to some how have Robin and Beast Boy go from uber pissed to mellow but not so pissed by the end of the chapter . . . and make it believable. I hope I don't have to do another one like this. Anyway, the next chapter is already under way. I hope to see you all again next time!


	9. Over the Edge part 1

A/N: Okay, one thing I'd like to make clear so that people are not confuzzled. This story takes place during season four. It takes place after _Birthmark_ but before _The Prophecy_. Specifically this story happens after _Employee of the Month_ as well but can happen before or after _TROQ_.

If that's weird and doesn't quite make sense . . . here's a lil chart!

Season Four episode guide -

1. Episode 257-494 (the episode where they get stuck in the TV)

2. Cyborg the Barbarian

3. Birthmark

4. The Quest

5. Employee of The Month

Fanfic: The Beast Within Us (This story can take place here.)

6. TROQ

Fanfic: The Beast Within Us (Or here!)

7. The Prophecy

Fanfic: The Beast Within Us (But **not** here! Oh noes! Too late! Faaaar too late!)

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 9: Over The Edge part one

"So, does the whole city know?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. When I woke up there were people everywhere and a news chopper overhead. Not to mention word travels fast enough by mouth as it is around here."

"I still don't see why we couldn't have flown or taken the R-cycle."

Beast Boy could not help but cringe at the forming cramps in his feet and legs. He and Robin had just walked the entire length of the underwater bridge and several blocks as well. Having the ability to fly, Beast Boy was not used to this form of travel and found that he was not very fond of it either. It did not help that Robin insisted they take the lesser travelled alleys and streets. This added onto their travel time considerably. And the reasoning for this?

"I don't want too many people seeing us until we get to the bottom of this."

"Whatever. Can we _please_ stop? My feet are killing me!"

Now it was Robin's turn to cringe, though this time out of annoyance. He was able to suppress it, to a degree that is, and only the slightest of tremors overtook his frame. "You've got two minutes." he said, managing to swallow the sigh that was to follow afterward. Beast Boy let out a relaxed breath and leaned up against a light post. He grasped his right ankle and began massaging the cramps away as Robin slowly meandered to a tall wooden fence that stretched out over the deserted neighborhood. He fell against it, a small creak of protest rose from the wood as his back made contact, and crossed his arms over his chest. He had lost count of how many times they had to stop and rest on Beast Boy's behalf, although he did have to acknowledge that his own feet were starting to throb. _At least I can suffer in silence._ He thought bitterly. _The way Beast Boy's acting, it's almost as if he thinks I'm enjoying myself. _He felt his lip unconsciously curl into a grimace at the thought. _Oh yes, the good times never end, do they?_

It was really a shame that Robin was in such a mood. Under normal circumstances he would have found the walk rather relaxing. There were very few cars they had encountered on their journey and each had passed with little more than a silence hum of wind in their wake. This was a stark contrast to the downtown areas of Jump City, where the sound of honking from irate drivers and screeching fans, mostly pre-teen and teenage girls, would be so thick one would have to shout to be heard by the person standing a mere foot away. The pedestrians they had passed were few and far between and consisted only of children at play and a middle aged person too busy returning home from errands to notice the Titans. Being the city's well known protectors did not often grant them with such a peaceful outing. If Robin's mind had not been plagued with a whirlwind he may have made a mental note to walk this route again. His rattled nerves would certainly appreciate the therapy.

At the moment, his brow was creased in a familiar expression of worried brooding as Beast Boy switched from his right ankle to his left. After discovering the ailment they both shared they had agreed that the best course of action was to contact Cyborg. Unfortunately, with their communication links to the rest of the team down, they had no choice but to retrieve him in person. Normally this would be a rather quick retrieval mission if it were not for their detour. Beast Boy was understandably exasperated when Robin had suggested their undercover route. It was rather obvious that Robin's episode with the HIVE was going to leave a blemish on the Titans' reputation, and while the shape-shifter understood wanting to lay low after such, he did not see this as any reason to waste time tiptoeing through the city. He wondered if Robin valued his pride that much.

"Are you ready?" Robin asked, desperate to get moving again.

"Hey! That wasn't two minutes!" Beast Boy shot in response. "Besides, my left leg still hurts." Robin clenched his eyes shut tightly, his mask narrowing to illustrate it, as Beast Boy resumed to massaging his calf. With a sigh, he allowed himself to slide down the fence until he was sitting nestled beside it. He drew his knees to his chest and rested his arms atop them. From that position, his scowling eyes peeked over his folded arms, giving him an almost cat-like appearance. _We're going to have to work on Beast Boy's endurance when this is over._ He clenched his eyes shut again. _This is taking too long. I knew I should've just left Beast Boy behind; he's slowing me down._

_**Don't even start thinking that! **_He warned himself. **_You're just going to make things worse._**

_At the moment, I really don't care. Of all the Titans I could've gotten stuck with, it just _had_ to be Beast Boy!_

Robin's narrowed eyes snapped open suddenly as he felt a strange twinge inside him. Lifting his head from his arms, he looked down at his chest where he had felt it. It felt strange, familiar but foreign at the same time. Now all he felt was his heart beating strongly in response to his rising anger, which was currently replaced with a mild shock and confusion. "All right. I'm ready now, Sarge." came Beast Boy's voice as he slowly rose to his feet. Robin looked up, leaving his confused state of mind behind. He purred a soft growl at the comment but decided to let it slide, for now. There was already too much flying around his brain to be overly concerned about a trivial comment. He rose, adorned his calm and composed mask, and began walking without the slightest hint of hesitation. Beast Boy had to shuffle a few quick steps to catch up with his abrupt start but just as quickly fell into a rhythmic pace beside him.

"It won't be too much longer. We're almost there." Robin said. Looking towards Beast Boy, he saw that while the changeling's annoyed expression remained, it had let up a bit at the news. Keeping them both in reasonably good spirits was an impossible task, Robin concluded, so for now his goal was to keep them both from being angry for the rest of the day. He was starting to wonder, after they had spent almost the entirety of the walk grumbling and growling at each other, if this task was just as impossible. _No wonder we never hangout. We just get on each other's nerves all the time. _

Robin's found the entire situation rather frustrating. Aside from his fragile companionship with the shape-shifter, he did not feel as in control as he normally did on such missions. He knew he could give thanks to the chemicals in his body for that. With the rising frustration, his heart gave a flutter in response, and his thoughts shifted towards the strange . . . _something_ he had felt earlier. _Probably just my heart. _He thought, recalling the mild movement within his chest. _What else could it be?_

------

Robin plunged into the darkness and landed in a crouched position. With a quick glance to his left and right, he stood just as Beast Boy landed beside him a soft thud. Mercifully, the smell of the junk yard was not nearly as potent from within Fixit's secret passage. Perhaps that could be credited to his nearly air tight underground lair. The obvious draw back was not from a lack of oxygen; Fixit had created a way to ventilate fresh air to accommodate Cyborg's carbon based half as well as the other Titans. With the only portal to the outside world being a hidden doorway within the garbage heap, the entrance to his home was plunge in a thick, inky darkness. The light shining directly upon the two teenagers could only stretch so far before dissolving into a curtain of pure blackness.

Robin attempted to pierce at the darkness with a small flashlight and it proved to be rather relentless. The most he was able to see were the faint outlines of what he assumed were the walls of the passage. Taking a step forward, he brandished the flashlight left and right, slashing through the darkness slowly but menacingly. The darkness was not impressed. He sighed, frustrated at the teasingly disguised surroundings and turned to see if Beast Boy was making better progress, only to discover that he had disappeared into the shadows as well.

"Beast Boy?" His call echoed gently around him and he felt a twinge of unease at that. Just how big _was_ this place anyway? He flickered the light around until two shiny orbs appeared in the darkness. Focusing his light on that, Robin was greeted by a green raccoon, gently waving a paw for him to follow. He did so, and for several long stretched minutes he pursued the striped jade tail that twitched in and out of the flashlight's range. Loosing count of the mindless steps he had taken, his ears indulged in the quiet hum of the lair; a pleasant remix of echoing footsteps, water drips and breathing. He could even make out his heart beating gently as if keeping the percussion in the background. While it was nice and tranquil in contrast to the more hectic events of that day, it was impossible to shake the eerie feeling of the atmosphere, which made him all the more longing to get this over with and get out. It did appear that they would be completing their task shortly. With Beast Boy's nocturnal eyes he trudged along without pause, seemingly knowing just where he was going.

Until he stopped. Robin stopped as well and Beast Boy, resuming human form, turned to speak before he could. "I saw something move! We're not alone." Robin's brow creased at this. It seemed impossible that anything could be up and about without him knowing it; he had not heard a thing. "What was it? Where did it go?"

"I didn't get a good look at it." Beast Boy said, shaking his head. "It was too fa - aaah!" A bright red light engulfed the changeling, causing his now visible form to display various shades of red, as he covered his eyes from the light. With the light source Robin was able to get a brief look of their surroundings, which appeared to be little more than a wide room enclosed with jagged rocky walls, before turning to face the cause of their abrupt visibility - or lack there of in Beast Boy's case. He had prepared, squinting his eyes and raising an arm to shield them, but the intensity had taken him by surprise.

The light rays stretched out from what appeared to be a large red spotlight and snaked around his guarding arm to pierce his masked eyes intensely. Having no choice but to close his eyes, he dropped the flashlight and reached for his bo staff. It was only a month prior that he had returned from China and his training with the True Master but he felt rather confident in his ability to fight sightless. Through his years of training and discipline he found it relatively easy to sense his opponents through their movements. Unfortunately there was the requirement that his opponent would have to be moving for him to scene his, her, or its presence. Robin felt the mild heat of the large light upon him but other than that, he could not sense any movement or hostility. Whatever was causing this, it did not appear to be attacking them though Robin was not about to lower his defense.

As suddenly as it appeared, the light blinked out, leaving Robin to tentatively open his eyes. As expected, he could see nothing aside from the faded spots that danced in his vision. If possible, the darkness was thicker than before and he could not find his flashlight. He poked the ground around him with his bo staff, hoping to feel it bump against his flashlight, but felt nothing but loose soil. "Beast Boy, help me find the flashlight." He tried to ignore how the echoe of his voice seemed stronger than before and awaited a response.

Nothing.

"Beast Boy?" he said a bit louder. Again the only response he received was from his own voice bouncing off the walls. He took a cautious step in one direction, arms stretched out before him, as he strained his ears for any sounds of movement other than his own. It was possible that Beast Boy had been captured by that creature he had glimpsed earlier, though it was making him a bit uneasy to think it could have happened so quickly, not to mention quietly.

Robin's outstretched hands eventually brushed against what felt like the inside of a computer. He pawed at it curiously, feeling the occasional rocky surface beneath his fingers among the jagged circuitry and chips. He certainly did not remember anything like this. "Oww!" Robin withdrew his right hand, shaking it needlessly, as a spark had struck and bit his index finger without warning. An electrified buzzing snipped the air and spat another park out, only to cease momentarily before beginning again in a sporadic beat. As the pain subsided, Robin cautiously guided his hand back to the sparking area. Though the snippets of light were small and short lived, it was enough to provide a look at something dangling from the wall. He identified it as a burnt out chip clingling helplessly by a wire upon grasping it. Obviously this part of the wall was damaged. He carefully ran his fingers around the rest of the wall and felt a deep and jagged cut within one of the rocks scattered among the circuitry . "What could have done this?" he whispered.

"Noo!"

Robin's head snapped up in response to Beast Boy's echoed cry and little more than a second later he was tearing through the darkness. For the first time he was thankful for his newly acquired sixth sense. The dread was thick and he could feel it like a temperature change. He narrowly avoided colliding head first into a wall, but was able to evade that and other such obstacles with credit to the loud echoes of his foot steps and his hightened training in China. As he sped towards his friend, the air growing otherwise inexplicitly colder with each step, the events from earlier were fresh in his mind. He had been concerned when he had not detected Cyborg's locater signal on his communicator shortly after battle and again in the infirmary but he had thought with reason that it was taken down for his maintenance. The notion of such worry being vindicated was causing his stomach to hurt and he was certain that if he had eaten any lunch it would have been splattered across the front of his tunic.

Finally a small sliver of light crept onto the floor of the passage. Robin squinted his eyes in preparation for the bright exposure of the next room. He shuddered at the cold that nipped his bare skin though he was gracious that it meant at least one of his friends was nearby and alive. He had intended to keep his eyes squinted to prevent another bout of temporary blindness, but the scene that awaited him within Fixit's lab force his eyes to widen in spite of the painful light. "It can't be . . "

-----

Beast Boy stumbled backwards in response to the red light. Throwing his arms to cover his face, he attempted to regain his bearings. The effect of such abrupt and intense brightness had left him more than a little disoriented and he was uncertain of just how many steps he had stumbled back before venturing to open his eyes. He saw nothing but a few faded spots dancing before him. He had assumed his nocturnal animal forms would be useless while without sight and turned into a bloodhound to determine his whereabouts through smell.

His original intention was to locate Robin. He did have the flashlight after all and, weak as it was, it would provide some what adequate vision until his sight returned. He lowered his cold wet nose to the ground and got in two sniffs before lifting his head again in surprise. He had recognized Cyborg's scent and although it had only been a little more than half a day, he missed him already. It was common knowledge that among Cyborg's numerous circuitry was a rather powerful flashlight, which conveniently flipped open from his right shoulder. This flashlight would be much more potent against the shadows than Robin's, which Beast Boy had just heard him call out to help him find, so it would only be logical to retrieve him and provide lighting to locate his irate leader.

However, this was not what had caused him to stop short for a moment. He had picked up the scent of someone else. It was certainly not of a distinguished trait such as Fixit's. Nor a familiar one, such as that of Robin. It was not uncommon for Beast Boy to pick up an unfamiliar scent, but this aroma was not quite that. He vaguely recalled having crossed this smell and could not place a name or face to it. This was also not unheard of, as in the populated areas of Jump City paths were bound to meet and cross many times. Fixit's home, however, was not such a place and Beast Boy could not think why or who else would visit other than the resident and Titans. His animal instincts caused a flutter in his gut and he took off blindly after the smell.

His vision began to clear as a light source spilled out over the ground. He quickly transformed back to his human self midstep and squinted to fend off the oncoming brightness. Apparently, it was not enough. The light from Fixit's lab stung his already sore eyes and he snapped them shut. Raising an arm to block the light, he slowly peeled them open.

"Noo!"

Beast Boy heard his voice echo through the empty laboratory before he even knew he had spoken. _This can't be happening! _He thought erraticly as his hands began trembling at his sides. _Please tell me this isn't happening! _His ears twitched unconsciously as Robin's heavy footsteps quickly drew closer and louder. Despite that, he found himself petrified by the sight before him even as Robin's soft whisper floated by. "This can't be . . ."

To Be Continued . . .

I know this is a rather short chapter but I had to break chapter nine into parts. I realized this morning just how insanely long this chapter was going to be and thought it would be easier on everyone if I broke it down. Not to mention there will be much faster updates rather than waiting for ever for me to dote on a single freakin' long chapter - and there's a LOT of stuff that happens here too.

So tune in next time for Chapter 9: Over The Edge part two: the plot thickens . . . with goo!


	10. Over the Edge part 2

A/N: Yes! I'm not dead! Yay! I finished. My apologies for the wait. I had to be at a work training semenar almost all last weekend AND there was mandatory overtime the Tuesday before. Mandatory overtime is teh ebil! Especially when we are agonizingly slow and there is no justification on keeping me there from 5am to 6pm whatsoever! Okay, enough whining. All you care about is the story - so here we go!

The Beast Within Us

Chapter 9: Over The Edge part 2

Robin quickly recovered from the mild shock and did not hesitate for a moment afterward. Quickly he began surveying the damage, searching for any clues as to what may have happened. Obviously, Fixit's lab had come under attack. The damaged wall he had felt earlier as well as the all but destroyed machinery of the lab itself was enough evidence of that. With a list of possible motives and culprits running through his mind, Robin searched for any and all signs of Cyborg or Fixit. His first fear was that they were injured or unconscious. His search revealed that both were missing, though he was _slightly_ relieved he found no blood or disassemble pieces of Cyborg's hardware.

"Beast Boy, can you - ?"

His words slowly died as wave of icy water crashed over him. He turned quickly, eyes widening from the sudden temperature change and his breath feeling almost misty on his lips.

Beast Boy had hardly moved since glimpsing the trashed lab. His mouth was open only slightly, in heavy contrast to his gaping eyes. His emotions were coming off heavy though not flaring nearly as they had been before. Robin found only reason to be more concerned. He could feel the core of it all, sending these signals with each rapid pulsating beat of the changeling's heart, trembling horridly. A precursor. "Hey,"

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy's sudden shout would have startled Robin, had he not been anticipating it, and the changeling rushed forward. Morphing to a mouse, he quickly began scuttling through the debris, squeaking erratically the whole while. "Beast Boy! Calm down!" Robin spoke as he watched the tiny green streak zig zag back and forth. The green blur was soon able to throw off his sharp eyes. "Beast Boy?" Robin took cautious steps while scanning the lab; a little mouse could be quite speedy when the time called for it. A loud crash from the side of the room threw Robin into a fighting stance. A large green gorilla had erupted from beneath a pile of debris and began lifting the trashed equipment in a futile search.

"Beast Boy! They're not here!" The gorilla paid him no mind. Recklessly he began tossing useless sheets of metal and other such items about and Robin was scarcely able to duck under a discarded metal chair. He opened his mouth to speak but found that any calmly spoken words would be drowned out by the distressed roars emitting from the large mammal's throat. Yelling was seldom good in such a situation but Robin found himself without much of a choice. Well, perhaps if he just raised his voice enough for Beast Boy to hear him.

"Beast Boy." He said loudly, which obviously was not loud enough as he could barely hear himself let alone be heard by a ravaging animal. "Beast Boy!" he said louder, only to narrowly evade yet another large chunk of machinery cautiously tossed his way. So much for that idea. He groaned inwardly and took a deep breath. "BEAST BOY! YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" A crash echoed through the room as Beast Boy dropped the large object in his arms. That has certainly gotten his attention, though it did not quite get the desired results. He turned, morphing back to his human self, but hardly at peace.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Beast Boy retorted bitterly.

"Calm down!" That sounded a tad harsher than he had intended and, for a moment, Robin feared he had spoken too harshly. Beast Boy did not respond immediately. He was silent for a few seconds, breathing slightly heavy and starring Robin down as if to challenge his command. Robin met his gaze and held his own, unyielding, but cautious all the same. "Destroying the crime scene is not going to help us find Cyborg or Fixit any faster." he began, slowly and gently controlling his breath. "Try to get a grip and see if you can pick up a scent." Robin continued his rhythmic breathing, hoping that Beast Boy would follow. Though he continued to look rather apprehensive, slowly his breath evened out and he morphed back to a bloodhound. Robin felt a whisper of relief and satisfaction spread through his chest as he watched the green dog begin searching through the carnage. During the events since breakfast that morning it had felt like ages since he was in control. It felt almost nostalgic, which was both a welcoming comfort and startling distress. _Feeling like a leader should not feel this foreign._ He chewed his lip over the thought. _But still, even after everything, I still have the capability to lead. But I've been through so much worse. What is happening to me?_

Robin shook his head and turned, leaving Beast Boy to his task, as he began his own. The console was not too badly damaged. It was salvageable; with a good amount of elbow grease of course. Fixit's high tech lair was bound to have some sort of surveillance or tracking system. It was not too far gone to assume that should something of that nature exist it would provide a clue as to what happened and who was behind it. He carefully removed the console face plate and grimaced slightly as he glimpsed inside. _Sure could use Cyborg right now. _

Robin's utility belt was a veritable Swiss army knife in itself so he was able to summon the necessary tools for such a task in a matter of seconds. He reached in to begin the tedious poking and prodding at the machinery. As engrossed with his job as he tried to be, he was not able to block out the sounds of sniffing and whimpering. Through his work he could pick out snippets of emotion biting at his skin. Most of which was a chill of despair that caused a shudder up his spine. It was not the most convenient thing when one's body shook involuntarily. It made it especially more difficult to snap annoyingly tiny computer chips back to their respected motherboards. Throughout these small cold spells a wave of hot determination would scorch him. Going through the same emotions himself, Robin could only feel nauseated but some what proud at Beast Boy's handling of the situation. It was weak, almost not there at all, but he could tell Beast Boy was not about to give in. That, on top of keeping a raging blood thirsty monster in check, could not be very easy to say the least.

His own beast had attempted to grasp at control, given his weakened state, but he was able to steel his defenses enough to keep it at bay. Despite the tension he had to uphold, he allowed a bit of pressure release from his headache. It made it easier to think. He closed his eyes, allowing his hands to work automatically, as he ran through a list of known villains a suspects in his head. _Who would've kidnapped Cyborg? Could it have been the same person that poisoned us?_

Out of habit, his first thoughts came to Slade. He had been uneasy since the villain had reappeared and proven to be more than an illusion. Nearly having his body destroyed during that experience with the chemical reagent had taught him a thing or two about obsession. However, old habits die hard and the villain did know the Titans well enough, thanks to Terra's betrayal. Robin did not know what he could have wanted with Raven but he had returned, seeking her out with eerie persistence. Perhaps whatever he was planning with her also involved Cyborg.

Robin frowned at the thought, only vaguely aware of Beast Boy's skittish movements behind him. Being forced into servitude with that man had not been a pleasant memory. While he did not think that he would be seeking his friends out as apprentices, the thought of what else he may be doing with them was not any more pleasant. _How did he know Cyborg would be here? Was he watching us? Did he get Raven already?_

The hum of the console coming back to life snapped him out of his musings. With the repairs completed and the power slowly seeping life into the lab, Robin could only wait until enough power was collected to get a better idea of what happened. _What would Slade have done to Fixit?_ The lack of blood did not make Robin think that Slade had killed him. _Had he been captured as well? _

Robin leaned against the console and folded his arms. Fixit was a rather intriguing character on his own. Cyborg obviously trusted him enough to return several times before and he had never given any reason to question his trust. Still, there remained the little mishap of Fixit wanting to 'repair' their friend and keep him imprisoned. Robin recalled the first time he had been down in Fixit's lair, when he and the others thought Mumbo had captured Cyborg. The darkness had not changed a bit. Neither had the concern he was feeling for his missing friend and Titan. He had not needed his sense of empathy to know how apprehensive the others had felt as they fought through the thick darkness. Robin arched an eyebrow at the memory. "Hey, Beast Boy?"

The bloodhound looked up before transforming to his human counterpart. "Yeah?"

"Do you remember there being a lot of robot guards the first time we came down here?"

"Yeah. What about 'em?"

The sudden clunk and whines of several machines surrounded the two, startling them both into attention. The walls appeared to be literally coming to life around them. Several wires slithered from the shadows like serpant tongues and were paired with grotesque robotic claws. Overhead, machinery that appeared to be part of the ceiling awakened, crawling and dropping down like spiders on a fresh catch of flies. It was not long before the boys found themselves surrounded on all sides by broken down drones. "Fixit's security." Robin muttered. Beast Boy seemed rather unconcerned. "It's not like they can hurt us, dude. Look at how little and damaged they are."

"Beast Boy, don't!"

"See?" He said, nudging one with his foot. "Now can - aaaahh!"

A metal coil, almost like a tentacle, had sprung from the offended machine and squeezed his leg ferociously. Beast Boy flailed for a moment before tiger claws erupted from his fingers and slashed the offending machine. Feeling another squeeze on his arm he was posed to attack. Before he could he was jerked forward and realized Robin had grabbed his arm. The Titan leader dragged him swiftly out of the lab as the robot army began to close in. The entrance which had been pitch black before was now glowing red as an endless stream of the metal monsters began pouring from every direction. With their path to freedom blocked they had no option but to fight.

"Watch my back!" Robin commanded as he withdrew his bo staff. Beast Boy morphed into a tiger, eager to take his aggression out over his missing friend on the robots. Robin pitched forward and slammed his weapon into one of the drone's "eyes". He closed his own tightly as he felt a hail storm of glass sting his face. He felt another come up on his left and he spun around, the staff spinning almost gracefully with him. A brutal strike threw it at bay and he thrust his staff behind him as he felt another one closing in. The staff successfully pierced the would be assailants and Robin was thankful his cape had caught most of the sparks that rained down.

Beast Boy was faring decently on his own as well. He found that ripping into the drones was much better for his anger than his failed attempt at meditation. In the heat of the moment he had forgotten his troubles and embraced the wild nature of the tiger. His teeth easily punctured the worn down metal causing an unfortunate robot to twitch in the cat's mouth. He shook it around in his mouth for a while, enjoying the flailing of its robotic appendages, then tossed it into a group of smaller drones. As the advancing group toppled like dominos, he turned and slashed into another that had taken a lunge at him. Hot oil spilled over his paws as his claws ripped the machine apart. The feel of the warm liquid sparked a metallic taste in his mouth and a blood lust in his brain.

The feeling of fight, which had been a welcome relief to the anger and panic from before, had been replenished into a state of mind Beast Boy had never experienced before. It was filled with a sudden rage that was not really rage at all. The anger was still there but a new desire had taken its place. Beast Boy wanted to destroy everything. He wanted to feel everything be crushed slowly and agonizingly under his powerful form. His feral roar felt more like a hungry growl from his soul as he ruthlessly swatted blindly at the machines. The whole time his mouth salivated as each robots' grisly end only wetted his appetite.

**_Doesn't this feel good? Embrace this feeling. Keep it with you, forever. Allow it to become more than a part of you. Let it _become_ you._**

****The excruciating howl startled Robin out of his close range grapple with a rather relentless machine. He slammed his foot into his rival's metallic chest and pushed himself into a soaring backflip. Now out of the army's immediate range, he ventured a glimpse at his teammate. The look of Beast Boy would have made him think he had been injured, but his senses told him otherwise. The green tiger's back was arched as he cried into the dark ceiling above, his feline expressions as contorted as they could be. Beast Boy screeched but was only able to produce incoherent growls in his current form. Despite that, Robin understood him clearly. "Beast Boy! Focus!" Robin reached an arm out and sprinted towards his friend. He was unsure of how much he could help Beast Boy fight his blood thirsty demon when in the heat of battle; the circumstances were not ideal and he was feeling the tug of his own. Still, any chance he could to grasp his friend from the Beast's jaws he had to take.

He had only made it so far in his mad dash before the breath in his lungs was brutally force out. Robin could barely comprehend the pain in his stomach and the feel of his feet being swept from beneath him before his backside collided with a rough metal surface. His head swam dizzyingly from the force and he reached for his utility belt on reflex. After shaking his head clear, he intended to withdraw one of his explosion disks but to his horror he found that he could not move his arms. Looking down, he gasped as his waist and arms had been bounded by a rather strong robotic appendage. A frantic series of loud bangs filled the air as the steel soles of Robin's boots struck the offending robot. In his flurry of berserk thrashing, he felt the coil loosen around him slightly. It allowed him just enough range to extract a birdarang from his belt before he felt it tighten again. He grasped a section of the enclosing coil with an open palm, then winced at the pressure on his wrists. In spite of that, he managed to keep a grip on the coil and slowly began to saw into it with the birdarang.

He gritted his teeth as sweat began to dot his forehead, not from tension, but from the heat of several robotic eyes glaring at him. He heard them closing in around him as if taking pleasure in his slow execution. The coil continued to wrapped around him and his mouth gaped open involuntarily as it squeezed the air from his chest. Feeling the birdarang begin to cut into the coil, he willed himself to fight through the forming cramps in his hand and work faster. He risked opening his eyes to the blaring shades of red from all around, but he found it surprisingly easy to make out Beast Boy's form. There was a flash of panic, not only at his impending doom and at having almost dropped the birdarang, but at the current state of his companion. He was faring no better at the moment. His seconds of vulnerability had cost him and the tiger was now pinned down by several bots.

"Beast Bo - uck!" The coil struck his neck suddenly and fiercely, squeezing his air tube without mercy. He choked out desperately for air and willed his bond hands to work faster. Though his birdarang had made a decent cut in the coil he knew he would not be able to slice through it in time. His mind worked fervently for any means of escape. Fear began to bubble inside him as his options were running out and his head grew fuzzy and disoriented. _No . . ._

Even awash in his own world of troubles, Beast Boy had noticed Robin's predicament and attempted to rush to his aide. Of course, being weighed down by at least a dozen blood thirsty robots made that impossible. He was able to fend off quite a few that were in range of his claws and teeth but those on his backside proved to be more difficult. The tiger form was obviously not working. An elephant should not have much of a problem however. Taking the image of the animal in his mind he prepared his body to morph and . . . _what!_

The feel of his body expanding and changing was replaced with that of a vicious convulsion rippling through him. The feeling stunned and nauseated him, causing him to collapse to the ground. Before he could contemplate what had happened he was bombarded with hot pain from all around. The robots that had been wrestling him down attacked in unison, biting and slashing into his flesh. He flailed his claws desperately as he tried to morph into any animal he could think of but only received a horrid contraction of his body for his efforts. The failed transformations wore him down and he was soon at his enemies' mercy as Robin was slowly being choked to death not too far away. Beast Boy closed his eyes and prepared himself for the inevitable.

What inevitably did happen both astounded and relieved him. Before he could register the pounding of steeled toed boots rushing towards him, the pressure from his many assaulters was suddenly gone. He heard them crash against the walls and each other with a satisfying crunch of metal as well as the swish of a metal bo staff swinging through the air. _Robin? _He opened his eyes and the Teen Wonder was indeed at his side fending off the small army. His eyes quickly caught the dismembered parts of the bot that had almost been Robin's demise scattered across the ground. _But how did he . . .? _

_Duh! Because he's _Robin

His subconscious's response was not satisfactory, despite the many impossible tasks and escapes the spiky haired boy had preformed before. There was something . . . _primal _about the way he moved and fought. The obvious first conclusion was that Robin had reverted back to his own Beast form, but in between his rapid staff movements Beast Boy had gotten a good enough look at his hands to confirm that there were no claws. Though his teeth were gritted angrily there were no protruding fangs present either. He was his regular and one hundred percent human self. _But still . . ._

"Beast Boy! Get us out of here!" The green feline growled lowly in acknowledgement and, as a force of habit, prepared to transform. With the image of a rhino in his mind, Beast Boy recalled a second too late about his inability to morph. He cringed, bracing himself for the horrible spasm that was to come, when he felt his skin grow rough and a strong horn protrude from his nose. _What the heck is going on? _The sight of a rather large robot foolishly charging him head on override his confusion. Needless to say, the robot was quickly disposed of and Beast Boy motioned for Robin to get on his back. He did so and Beast Boy began a headlong charge.

Robin flattened his body against the green rhino's back and brought an arm up to protect his head. A good thing too, as through the constant sound of scrunching metal he felt the debris scrape by his form. After what had felt like forever, the sound stopped and was replaced by a steady sound of winding gears as the stampede of robots tried to keep up and catch them. Robin lifted his arm to see exactly where they were when he suddenly felt himself falling. The rough texture of the rhino's skin he had been sitting upon had all but disappeared from underneath him. Just as suddenly, he felt the claws of a pterodactyl wrap around his wrists and yank him upward. The entrance to the lair was visible now, almost blinding, and Robin was forced to close his eyes. Soon he felt his body being pulled upward and the warm sun once again embrace his skin, as well as the chatter of various voices down below.

Opening his eyes, Robin looked down to see several children and the occasional adult occupy what had previously been an abandoned street. All eyes were on him and Beast Boy as responses varying from 'oohs, 'aahs', and grim whispers ran through the crowd. The local elementary school had picked a rather inconvenient day for an early release and Robin groaned at his rotten luck. _So much for keeping a low profile. . . _

-----

To be continued . . .

So it appears as though Raven and Cyborg have been captured . . . or _have_ they? What will be come of our boys now? Let's have a preview, shall we? Roll the clip!

Chapter Nine: Over the Edge part 3

Things keep looking more and more bleak for Robin and Beast Boy. With two friends in possible danger, and one unaccounted for, the last thing they need is a new villain on their backs. The primal rage within their bodies gleefully takes advantage of every misfortune thrown there way, and the two can only hold out for so long. Stay tuned for 'Over the Edge: part 3'. Possibly the gooest and most delicious segmant in the chapter nine saga!


	11. Over the Edge part 3

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Kingdom Hearts 2 is way too addictive. But I've managed to get a lot of writing down while at work so I'm really going to concentrate on getting these chapters out faster. Hope you enjoy!

The Beast Within Us

Chapter Nine: Over the Edge part 3

After being treated for their wounds, the HIVE agents had been put to sleep with sedatives. It was partially to help ease their discomfort but mostly to keep them from causing trouble. It worked and the troublesome trio was sleeping peacefully in their hospital beds. There they would stay until a doctor deemed them healthy enough to be arrested. Had one not known better, they would have been perceived as good, adorable kids. Of course, any resident of Jump City certainly knew better by now.

Jinx stirred slightly before opening her eyes. The effects of the sedative had left her considerably groggy and she was unable to suppress a moan at the dizzying effects. The room blurred together into a spectacular display of color that she may have appreciated if not for the pounding headache. As the images began to bleed into a clearer picture, she realized there was someone standing at her bedside. This person's clothes were far too colorful to be those of a doctor. She thought for a moment, much to her annoyance, that it was one of those clowns that visited the children's ward. It did not take her long to notice that the figure was rather familiar. The steady beeping of the heart monitor erupted in tempo once her vision completed its adjusting and she saw exactly who was waiting for her to wake.

Before she could get a breath of protest, Robin's hand was already covering her mouth and an index finger was at his lips. "Do. Not. Scream." Jinx had no option but to comply even though her shameful fear would force her to with or without a hand clasped tightly over her mouth. "We're going to ask you a few questions and you're going to co-operate. No screaming, no thrashing, no trouble. Got it?" Later on Jinx would look back on this event with her cheeks burning in embarrassment. She would curse herself for trembling so pathetically before an anorexic circus reject that wore too much hair gel and spouted one liners a second grader would not dare to. For the moment, all she could remember was the feeling of her confident smirk being tugged off her face into a contorted screech of pain. The magnitude of her lips trembling as she watched his monstrous transformation was far worse than any quake she had experienced in the California city. For the first and only time battling the Titans, she truly felt that her life was at risk. It should not have been that way. Heroes were never to kill anyone. Yet, as she looked up at Robin's towering figure made all the more sinister in the darkness of the room, she was not so certain.

Jinx nodded her head ever so slightly, acknowledging that she accepted his terms, and Robin slowly removed his hand. "Where's Cyborg?" a different voice growled. She flinched in startled surprise as Beast Boy appeared at her right, his ears drawn back and looking much more menacing that the jokester would normally appear. She would be embarrassed about shuddering under him as well. "I don't know what you're talking about." she whispered.

"Don't play dumb!" the volume of his voice rose, producing an almost menacing echo in the room. "Where is he?"

"Keep your voice down, Beast Boy!" Robin hissed, hoping his cohort's voice had not called unwelcome attention. "Let me ask the questions, okay?" Beast Boy crossed his arms grouchily but allowed Robin to proceed. "Who are you working for?"

"No one. After you guys got rid of our headmasters we've been on our own." she spoke matter of factly in spite of her situation.

"What about Slade? Do you know what he would want with Raven and Cyborg?"

Jinx blinked in almost disbelief. "Slade's dead. I thought you of all people would know that." Robin's eyes thinned at that. "She doesn't know anything. This is a waste of time." Beast Boy mumbled.

"Quiet." Robin responded back flatly. "All right, Jinx, here's the deal just to make sure we're on the same page. Cooperate and I may be able to pull a few strings and get you a lighter sentence. But if you withhold any information and I find out, I'm going to be -" he leaned in slightly, "- very -" and bared his teeth. " - grumpy."

"I'm serious! Slade's dead! You're blonde friend threw him into lava, didn't she?" She regretted her words in spite of their truth when both Titans darkened in response, though Beast Boy looked to be more provoked.

"Who else?"

"Wha?"

"Who else would want to kidnap Raven and Cyborg?"

"I don't know!"

"Anyone stirring up trouble that we should know about?"

"I don't know."

Robin leaned back with a sigh. "Just keep what I said in mind." he said as he twisted a tube on one of the IV bags hanging at Jinx's bedside. She watched as the stopped liquid trickled down the tube and into her system. Instantly the effects kicked in and she felt her eyes droop. "Don't let the bed bugs bite." Robin's dark mutter was the last thing she heard.

------

Beast Boy sat snuggly in the window frame, arms folded tightly, as Robin quickly tapped into a computer on the other side of the dark room. The frustration was unbearable. It was a complete waste of time and he could not fathom as to why Robin insisted on wasting more of it on the computer. He snorted and rested his temple on the glass. He absently watched the activity below and wished he could simply fly off and do things on his own. Regretfully, he could not for two reasons. The first being that they had agreed to be within constant company of each other should one loose control. The second being that he would not have a clue as to where to begin. The detective work was strictly Robin's expertise and without him, Beast Boy would be little more than wandering aimlessly with the hope that a clue will jump out at him.

He let out another heavy breath, feeling the glass turn foggy and moist in response. Everything he had been through that day was leaving him ragged and all he wanted to do was sleep. The constant tap on the keyboard from across the room was becoming rather therapeutic. His eyes drooped and he welcomed it. There was no harm in taking a nap. Robin would wake him up when it was time to move on. His eyes continued watching the citizens move about as he awaited sleep. _Maybe I'll wake up and this whole day will have just been a horrible dre - what the!_

The thoughts of slumber were flung from his mind as he jolted up and pressed his hands and face to the glass. While they were rather high up in the building, they were not so much that a certain crop of blond hair could not catch his attention. He narrowed his eyes, zeroing in on the figure that walked from the entrance to a waiting bus. He willed forward his eagle DNA to get a clear image of the man. There was a twinge in his nose as he recalled the scent he had picked up in Fixit's lab. That's why it was familiar despite him not being able to identify it. He had only met him that morning. "It's him!"

Robin's head snapped up from his work to see Beast Boy leaning against the glass with anticipation. "Slade?" he replied automatically.

"No!" Beast Boy turned, flailing his arms. "It's him! The guy from the . . ."Looking back, he watched as the man boarded the departing bus. "He's leaving!" With no other words, Beast Boy threw open the window and morphed into an eagle. "Beast Boy! Wait!" Robin abandoned his research and quickly rushed over to the window. By that time, the eagle was gliding over the parking lot and trailing an unseen target. "What is he doing?" Robin wondered, unable to identify what Beast Boy was after amid the thick mass of cars and people below.

Though curious and perturbed by his teammate's behavior, Robin could not leave his research unattended. He quickly made his way back to the computer and extracted a computer disk from his belt. He inserted it into the drive and began copying the data he had found. "Doesn't he realize how serious this is?" he mumbled as his eyes flickered towards the window. The green eagle had all but disappeared from view in those short seconds.

------

Beast Boy was loosing sight of the bus. The traffic congestion could be quite disorienting and with several buses providing much needed transportation, it was difficult to single out just one. He narrowed his eyes and locked his vision on the bus he was trailing. Deciding not to take any chances of loosing it, he fell into a nose dive. Once on the roof top he would change into a smaller animal, difficult to spot, and wait for his "generous" friend to depart.

"Hayck!" Beast Boy felt his breath get torn violently from his lungs. He flailed his wings frantically; trying to figure out what exactly had hit him as his head swam from the force of the blow and lack of oxygen. Though dazed, he was able to make out what felt like an arm gripping him in a strong choke hold. He quickly reverted and the sudden shape change took his attacker by surprise. "Get off of me!" He growled as he pushed both feet into the enemy's torso. He heard a feminine sounding grunt in response to the kick and gave a grunt himself as he tumbled on to a rooftop.

Beast Boy quickly got to his feet, sporting a few scraps, but other wise recovered from the surprise attack. He watched as a young girl did the same though she appeared to have more trouble getting to her feet. She managed, though on shaky legs, and Beast Boy took a step forward. "Hey, are you . . ." The words died on his lips when she shot him a startling glare. All previous pain forgotten, the girl swung her arm before her as a trail of sparks dripped from her fingers. Beast Boy was startled once again when a rock like platform appeared from thin air. An annoyed grunt growled in her throat as she hopped upon it with and charged forward. It had at first reminded Beast Boy of Terra's powers; though he noticed as she sped towards him that it appeared to be expanding forward in an almost snake shaped form. Once close enough, she lifted her arms over her head and Beast Boy was surprised as what appeared to be a metal staff materialized out of no where. He rolled to the side, dodging the attack and back peddled to put some distance between them. _How did she do that? Not even Robin could bring his staff out like that!_

_And how is she doing _that Beast Boy thought, blinking perplexed when he got a better look at her floating rock. The bottom of the platform's dirt spilled down like sand though it seemed to evaporate into thin air. Likewise, the trail the platform had left as it extended forward has also vanished leaving no trace behind and the edge of it swirled in a dark earth colored mist. "Who are you?" Beast Boy said. Her short red hair certainly was not ringing any bells. She snarled, her white teeth radiating between her dark lipstick. "Of course you wouldn't know me." she clenched her fists and began to advance. "You wouldn't have the decency to think your enemies have family! I'm Shimmer and you'll pay for what you did to my brother!"

She leapt from her platform, which slowly disappeared after her dismount, and broke into a sprint. "Your brother?" Beast Boy prepared himself to evade but held his ground. "Who. . .?"

"Mammoth!" she screamed as she thrust an open hand forward and a large metal spike protruding from her palm. Beast Boy side stepped the attack, but his eyes were left wide at the mention of her relation to Mammoth, though the metal spike coming from her hand did catch him by surprise too. "You think I hurt Mammoth this morning?"

"I _know_ you did!" She held her arms out to her sides. Sparks flared around her out stretched fingers and Beast Boy found himself surrounded by more metal spikes. These spikes, however, floated menacingly in the air with all sharp points directed at him. With the balling of her hands into fists, the spikes closed in rapidly as Beast Boy had anticipated. He quickly morphed into a squirrel and was again able to escape being skewered, but only scarcely. As the small mammal, he was able to zig zag through various other objects that appeared to materialize from no where. He morphed into a ram once close enough and Shimmer was able to summon a stone shield at the last moment. It had taken the blunt of the force, but she was still sent flying.

Beast Boy reverted to his human form and watched as Shimmer rolled for a few feet. "Not like it matters, but I'm not the one who hurt Mammoth." She slowly pushed herself up and her body trembled from rage and the soreness of a direct hit. "I'm no fool!" she spat as she struggled to her feet. "His wounds could have only been caused by an animal and all reports say it was a Titan." She stood up, swaying, but quickly shook her dizziness off and made slow, trembling steps towards the changeling. "Mammoth's going to be fine, you know." he said. "A bit roughed up for a while, sure, but he'll be good as new in no time."

"Good to know." she growled. She squatted slightly, tucking her bent arms into her sides and clenching her fists. Beast Boy stood ready as sparks began to glitter around the girl's fists again. "Won't save you, though." With a yell, she pushed her arms out before her and spread her fingers out.

Beast Boy was hit with several sensations at once. His hands flew to his throat as water sputtered from his mouth and nose. He felt a mild twinge of panic as he realized all the air in his lungs had turned to water. He morphed into a fish, feeling instant relief from the drowning as his body flopped in a tiny puddle. Feeling the water quickly squeeze out of his gills, he morphed back to his human form and coughed up what remained. Shimmer stood paralyzed for a moment. The water-in-lungs attack had not failed her before. _This kid's powers are starting to annoy me._ She snapped out of her revere as she watched his trembling body try to rid itself of the unwelcome substance. She saw her chance. She sprinted again, forming a sword in her hands. Hearing the rushing footsteps towards him, Beast Boy looked up to see her beside him, a sharp weapon descending on his head. His eyes widened. He still needed time to recover. He could not evade it.

He did not need to.

In a flash of red and green, Shimmer was sent flying once again. Her weapon evaporated in her hands and her body once again moaned in pain. She pushed herself up, nails clawing angrily into the pavement, as she saw the Titan leader, Robin, helping Beast Boy to his feet. "Thanks . . . (cough), Robin." the changeling sputtered as he ran his hands through his damp green hair. "But do you think you could, maybe, _not_ wait to the last second next time!" His rant when unnoticed as Robin glared at the girl. "I couldn't help but catch the tail end of your conversation." he began as he took out his collapsible staff. "You should know that I was the one who put Mammoth in the hospital. I'm not proud of what I had done, but I'm not going to let Beast Boy take the heat for it."

Shimmer narrowed her eyes at Robin's weapon. He was out of range of her powers so she would not be able to transmute it and knowing how skilled he was in martial arts, she was not about to charge at him with the same zeal as she had with Beast Boy. _As much as I hate to admit it, I'm out of my league. Stupid Titans._ "This isn't over!" she growled, slamming a fist to the roof. Robin and Beast Boy found themselves falling before they realized that the entire rooftop had instantly turned into a gaseous substance. By this time Shimmer had transmuted another dirt platform for herself and escaped from view as the boys tried to regain their bearings. Beast Boy attempted to transform into a bird but he could not get a clear image of any animal in his mind. Something was interfering; making him dizzy and nauseated and the screams of the people that had been peacefully working in the building they fell into was not helping. He hit the floor with a painful thud was pulled to his feet before he could even mutter. A hand came to rest tightly over his nose and mouth, keeping him from breathing. He thrashed around for a bit until both hand released him shortly there after. Robin had drug him outside and appeared to be catching his breath as well.

"It was poison gas." he explained, clapping Beast Boy's back. "Cough it up." He did so, pounding a fist to his chest to aide the process. Resting his hands on his knees, he took a deep breath as the last bit of it left his body. He enjoyed the sensation of the fresh air cleansing his lungs. Robin allowed him a moment or so to recover before shattering his small utopia. "What did you think you were doing?" Robin all but yelled. "You know we need to stay together! Why would you just bail like that?"

"I told you!" Beast Boy hissed back. "I was going after that guy from the park!"

"What guy from the park? We didn't even go to the park today!"

"I did!"

Robin squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sharp breath. Massaging his temples, he forced himself to calm. "Okay." he began. "Tell me about this guy from the park. What does he have to do with us?"

"Well, I went to the park this morning to cool down after we yelled at each other. This guy gave me a free drink and that's when I started getting really mad. I didn't think much of it, but then I picked up his scent in Fixit's lab. I knew it was familiar but I didn't know it was his until I saw him come out of the hospital . . . just. . . now . ."

Beast Boy trailed off as he saw Robin shaking with anger. "You took a drink from a complete stranger? How stupid are you? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Beast Boy's eyes narrowed at the accusation. He should have known Robin was going to react like that. "Well excuse me for not being paranoid of everything that walks, but for your information, he was working at a slushy stand! How was I supposed to know he was shady? I am so sick of - mmfp!" Robin's hand quickly covered Beast Boy's mouth as the former pressed him against the wall. "Shhhh." Robin hissed gently, holding a finger over his lips. "This is what they want. We need to calm down." Despite his glaring green eyes, Robin slowly removed his hand from his mouth and took a step back, holding his own hands up in an almost submissive manner. "Look, I'm sorry about snapping at you just now. But before we say anything else to each other we should get our anger under control. Let's just take a few minutes and deep breaths to calm down, all right?"

"Yeah, you're right. Deep healing breath." Beast Boy growled. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly through his mouth. His body was relentlessly tense for almost a minute before the rhythmic breathing began to gradually loosen his muscles. He gently played his personal mantra through his mind so as to keep stray thoughts away. For the moment it appeared to be working. **_Why do you always let him tell you what to do?_** His body stiffened, eyes clenched shut and teeth barring. **_He even had the gall to call you stupid. _**

_No, not again!_

Being a martial artist, Robin was rather experienced in meditation. He was certainly not as devote to it as Raven but it provided a good way to throw off extra stress and raise his level of consciousness. In spite of his experience he found it increasingly difficult to keep his rage at bay. This was worrying for a fair amount of reasons. The first being that his anger was only getting progressively stronger as the day went by. He was able to slowly ease it into submission but he wondered how long it would be before it would take over completely. The second being his extrovert of a companion. He had been too focused on curbing his own anger that the thought of Beast Boy not being able to do so as easily as him had not occurred to him until a violent heat wave crashed over his body.

Robin snapped out of his trance to see Beast Boy on his knees. His arms were wrapped around his torso and his teeth were clenched in apparent pain. "Beast Boy!" He rushed to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong? Are you all right?" With one arm still around his chest, he lifted his right arm to his head. "I can't stop it!" He pitched forward, head resting against the concrete, and groaned. Robin's eyes widened as he leaned in. "Beast Boy, no! You can't!"

For the second time that day, Robin was sent flying through the air. He flipped himself on his feet and skidded to a stop. The sounds of panicked screams erupted around him long before the terrifying growl vindicated any of it. The Beast stormed from the alley and quickly drew a bead on him. Amid the scattering pedestrians and motorists flailing their horns to clear an escape, Robin's focus was solely on the monster rushing towards him with frightening agility. He quickly withdrew a pair of birdarangs, not even having enough time to curse his rotten luck once again.

To be continued - (dun dun dun!)

A/N: And thus, chapter nine finally come to a close. Beast Boy's primal side is at it again and a new villain is on the loose!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Shimmer, she was a character from the comics. She and Mammoth were a tight brother and sister team that formed the original Fearsome Five during the New Teen Titans run through the 80's. She's really more of a thief than a fighter which is why she never enrolled in HIVE academy and was getting her butt kicked so easily by Beast Boy and she's not able to handle pain the same way a fighter would. Her powers include being able to transmute matter but she can only do so if that matter is within a certain radius – hence why she was not able to attack Robin and seeing as how she got beat so badly by Beast Boy she did not want to risk it with the Titans' leader.

I'm probably stretching how she can use her powers a bit but with powers such as matter transmuting it's a bit difficult to imagine. Maybe this is why she never appeared in the cartoon. And now for a preview of the next chapter.

**Chapter Ten:** Robin must once again battle Beast Boy's primal form to protect the city, though he finds that the Beast has grown stronger. His own demon may be his only hope of winning, but it also bares a steep price. This one's gonna hurt!

Don't forget to review please.


	12. Public Enemy Number One

A/N: I would like to take a moment to honor the late Steve Irwin. He was a good man, full of life, and had more enthusiasm than I had ever thought possible. Though I think he was a tad coo-coo for cocoa puffs (what with him holding his infant son while feeding a crocodile and all) he was probably one of the best and most loving fathers in the world. I believe he would never have put his children in harm's way were he not in complete control of the situation. To those who say that he was "asking for it" or died for no reason, I will say that you should keep your comments to yourself. He died teaching the world about wildlife. Knowledge is the best weapon against ignorance that spawns hate and violence. Without someone like Steve Irwin teaching us about these animals, we would misunderstand and destroy them, possibly destroying ourselves in the process. He's probably done more for the world than we'll ever know.

Steve Irwin

1962 - 2006

We'll miss ya, mate.

**A (SOMEWHAT) IMPORTANT NOTICE:** When Beast Boy is in his primal form, he shall hence forth be known as 'Werebeast', because calling him '_The_ Beast' was getting stupid and obnoxious. I had previously thought of simply calling him 'Beast', but having recently played KH2 it sounded too much like Disney's Beauty and the Beast for my liking. So now he's Werebeast. Nya! Yes, you may still notice that I refer to him as 'the beast' every now and then, but that's no different than if I were to refer to Robin as 'the boy'. Don't mind me, I'm just stating the obvious.

The Beast Within Us

Chapter Ten: Public Enemy Number One

The Werebeast wasted no time in charging forward, displaying the kind of speed that would belie his massive form.

Robin kicked off a street mailbox and soared into a high back flip. He viciously tossed the two birdarangs in hand and launched his grappling hook. Werebeast had to break his charge off to swat at the projectiles. He growled at the annoying distraction, almost if he were cursing it, as he watched Robin pull himself up a building to safety. Angrily, he sunk his claws into the concrete wall and began scaling after him. Robin had just climbed over the roof's edge when he felt the building shake slightly. By the time he had turned to peer from the edge, the green menace was already half way up.

Robin pulled a device from his belt and dove towards Werebeast. Holding his right arm out, as if to clothes line the creature, he hooked himself around his neck. "Sorry, Beast Boy." he whispered as he attached the device to his back, which began beeping softly after being set. He leapt from the creature's back with his hook shot back in hand and aimed at a neighboring building. A surprised gasp, in response to the beast's claws quickly and fiercely grasping him, nearly choked him and caused him to drop his gadget. His massive hand crushed the boy's torso and Robin flailed his legs wildly as he tried to pry himself free with his arms. The beeping from the device he planted grew faster and more erratic until it stretched into one held screech. Robin closed his eyes and braced himself.

Werebeast's jaws were barred, more than ready to plunge into the trapped youth's flesh, but a sudden shock that coursed through his body put an end to that. Awash in pain, he let go of both Robin and the wall. Robin had received a decent amount of the shock as well and, though it was too a much lesser degree, he could only free fall with the monster. Desperately clinging to consciousness, Robin tried to reach for his reserve grappling hook but felt the air push from his body with a thud. His fall was mostly broken by Werebeast's paw but the combined shock and spill had taken a lot out of him. He rolled from the force of the fall out of the beast's hand and onto the sidewalk. His consciousness fleeted for a moment and he strained to open his eyes, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself awake.

Pained growls sounded from his left as he slowly rose to a sitting position. Werebeast writhed on the ground, twitching from the full blast of the device, but appeared to be conscious. Robin shakily got to his feet. He was glad he had opted not to up the voltage despite not delivering the desired results. Robin cautiously approached him. Werebeast may have received the full blast but if Robin, who was much smaller in size and weight, had been able to throw the effects off this quickly it was only right to assume that he could do the same. Still, the beast had not yet risen. "Maybe it was enough after all . . ."

Werebeast slowly rocked his head back and forth and inhuman groans hissed between his massive jaws. Robin approached with ginger steps and his bo staff withdrawn just in case. Creeping towards his head, Robin carefully leaned over. "Beast Boy?" he called softly, gripping his bo staff tightly. Werebeast's features flickered for a moment but his eyes did not open. Robin sighed and took a collar like device from his belt. "Sorry about this. It's nothing personal."

The collar was no where near the creature's neck when a set of claws shot out and impaled it. Robin had lunged back, avoiding being skewered as well, and launched into a series of back flips to gain some distance. He landed, bo staff at the ready, but found that his opponent was no where to be found. "What? Where did he -?"

"Look out, Robin!"

The warning shouted amid the retreating sounds of panic caused him to look behind him. He saw no one but noticed a large shadow growing at his feet. He looked up and could only register a large mass of green before a shockwave racked the sidewalk. He was knocked off his feet and landed sprawled on his back with a thud. Werebeast loomed over him and slashed down with his left paw. Robin quickly rolled out of the way but his cape had been caught up and pinned to the ground. Werebeast flung his paw back, swinging Robin by the cape and sending him flying. Robin grabbed a light post as he flew by, his body jerking from the stopped momentum. He recovered to see Werebeast charging at him. He back flipped out of the way just as the beast's claws reduced it to shreds. He was unable to dodge the second swipe, which followed with blinding speed, and was sent skidding into a street post.

Robin grunted as he hit it, gritted his teeth angrily, and took cover in a nearby alley. "I've had enough of this!" he growled, slinking into the shadows. He clenched his fists shut, closed his eyes, and his breath slowed down considerably as he entered a meditative state. Werebeast sniffed after him, appearing outside of the alley he had dived into. Despite his colorful uniform, the darkness had done an exceptional job of concealing Robin. As well as the shadows had preformed, there was still no fooling the beast's keen scenes. He drew a beam on his hidden prey and stalked forward. The menacing grin on his face was almost sadistic, but was quickly wiped clean by what followed. There was a titanic yell from the shadows as Robin flew forward. He landed a punch on Werebeast's nose, sending him flying backwards.

Werebeast skidded to a stop and grabbed his nose angrily. Though in pain, he was not incapacitated and rose with teeth barred. Robin stood firm on the other side of the street. His fists were clenched at his sides and his mouth was pulled into a thin snarl. "Let's just finish this!" he said through his teeth. They flew at each other. Robin caught the two claws that lunged at him and kicked him under the jaw, causing Werebeast to stumble back as Robin rushed in. The beast recovered quickly and struck Robin as he leapt to the air. He slammed him into the ground and lifted his fist. Though pinned, Robin was able to catch Werebeast's paw. He strained to hold it back and wormed his lower body out of the beast's palm. He pulled himself out in one fluid motion and hopped onto Werebeat's back hand.

Werebeast quickly threw his fist back and Robin off of him in the process. He flipped to his feet easily, ducked under the slash that followed, but could not dodge the second attack. Robin twisted his body to move with the claw in an attempt to minimize the damage. The force was still enough to send him reeling but the injury was nothing more serious than a mildly deep scratch. He turned to face the beast, gritting his teeth angrily, when he appeared to snap out of his raging glare. "No! Stay focused!" he hissed to himself with a finger to his temple. Werebeast struck again and he leapt backwards out of the way. He quickly ducked another swipe and closed in. Werebeast keeled over in response to the powerful punch to his gut. Robin followed with an uppercut then leapt to the air to perform a back flip kick.

Werebeast was pushed back but quickly uprooted a trash can and tossed it at the airborne teen. Robin completed the flip just in time to receive the can to his gut during his upright decent. He skidded back to an opposite building and fiercely kicked the trash can to the middle of the street. His features contorted into absolute range until they were replaced with shock. "Don't loose control. Don't loose control." he growled to himself as he grasped his temples.

He felt the beast's thunderous growl charge towards him. Robin switched to evasive movements as he tried to keep his mounting rage contained. With each swipe he had dodged, the primal nature within him grew more frustrated. He clenched his mouth shut tightly and braced his body, as if he were holding back vomit, but he could feel himself loosing the battle. _Finish him off quickly! Curb your anger once he's subdued. _He told himself and Robin almost gave an affirmative nod. Ducking under another claw, Robin sprinted in and began delivering a series of combos to the beast's torso. Werebeast doubled over and winced at each hit he received. He recovered from the aggressive offence and made a swipe at Robin, only then did he break off his unyielding attack and kick off Werebeast's forearm. He soared into a sailing kick, aimed directly at the creature's temple, but just as quickly found himself flying to the other side of the street. Werebeast had been anticipating that move and Robin, in his struggling state, had been too blinded by rage to see it.

Robin had been thrown a good distance and bounded off the side walk for several feet before skidding to a stop. He pushed himself up on his arms, gritting his teeth in pain and anger. Robin's eyes opened to a blood tinted world. "No!" he grunted as he gripped the sides of his head desperately. Robin struggled on through his depleted will power, only vaguely aware that he was still fighting it. There was not much to be done at that point regardless, for the world around him had been drown in silence, save for his heart pounding in his ears.

Werebeast watched as Robin collapsed to his knees. For a moment, the perplexing behavior had stopped him and he watched the boy twitch at the mercy of some unseen tormentor. It was only for a moment though, and the Beast took this opportunity to rush his fallen opponent. Intent to finish him off, he had not been expecting Robin to suddenly break his invisible bonds, with his claws out and sharp fangs barred.

------

Beast Boy groaned, curling up in response to the searing pain that raked his body. It cut savagely through the fog of his mind and made him all the more reluctant to open his eyes. In spite of the pain, the faded sounds of sirens as well as the curiosity of how such pain occurred had overridden such reluctance. He shifted his head slightly as he awoke and quickly sputtered when he felt his nose and mouth submerge in cold water. He quickly pushed himself up on his arms and found himself in a large puddle, the cause of which was that of a fire hydrant that had somehow been uprooted. His stomach turned as cold as the water that soaked him. His mind may have been fuzzy and he could hardly remember what had happened after Shimmer escaped, but he did not need to remember. He knew.

"Robin!" Beast Boy quickly rose to his feet and looked about frantically, but Robin had not responded. He slowly turned, taking in the damaged abandoned street as the sirens grew louder. Then he saw it, an immobile flash of red, and he sprinted towards it. "Robin!" He tripped once, brushed himself off, and nearly collapsed at his fallen friend's side. Robin lay unmoving on the sidewalk, his gloves and uniform shredded in various places, and with various bruises and bleeding wounds. "Robin! Wake up!" he shook him gently, but received no other response aside from the slow rise and fall of his chest. A good sign, but not enough to calm his nerves.

"Don't worry! I'll get you to a hospital!" He hoisted Robin over his shoulder and winced as the added weight bit into his own wounds. He was relieved as the sirens finally took over the air and thickly filled it with their calls. A series of patrol cars flooded the streets from both ends, quickly screeching to a stop, and he half dragged Robin's limp body to greet them. "We need an ambulance!" he called, feeling his head dip. _Looks like I might need one too._ To Beast Boy's surprise, rather than radio for paramedics, each officer present moved to surround him. With the sounds of several guns clicking, they had him and the unconscious Robin surrounded. "What? What's going on?" Beast Boy looked frantically at the officers that surrounded him and felt himself grow lightheaded.

"Robin and Beast Boy of the Teen Titans; you are under arrest." Beast Boy's remaining strength was drained from his body as he sucked in a shocked breath. With the ground tilting violently under his feet, he had not even the chance to mutter a word in protest before passing out.

To be continued – (dun dun DUN again)

If you thought the last chapters cliffhanger was evil . . . mwa ha ha! I was actually thinking of holding off on this chapter until I fixed up chapter 11 a bit, but it's just so much more evil this way. I said evil!

Normally I would give you a preview of the next chapter, but I won't – because I'm evil! Now, review and tell me how evil I am . . . please.


	13. Arrested Development

A/N: Blame any and all delays on the following: DDR Extreme 2, Guitar Hero, and work. Especially work. Damn work takes up 40 hours of my week. Oh yeah, please forgive the lame chapter title. It just seemed to fit so perfectly!

**Easter Egg Hunt: **There's a special Easter egg in this chapter! It refers to a certain prime time live action medical show. Can you find it? Soden, if you don't find it, I'll be very disappointed in you.

**In Other News:** I'm just 19 reviews away from 100. C'mon people! If this reaches the 100 mark it will be my first fanfic ever to do that. Yes, I know the quantity of the reviews is not as important as the quality and also that the review count shouldn't matter as long as I, and my readers, are enjoying ourselves. I _am_ having fun writing this, which is a reward in itself, but still I'd like this fanfic to hit the review milestone.

Rest assured that I'm not going to do that annoying thing where I'd say "I'm not updating until I get 15 reviews!" pout

Arg, I hate it when people hold their own stories hostage like that, so I shalln't . . . . . as long as I get 15 more reviews.

I kid! I kid! But still, fanfiction milestone so close! So give me a hand here, loyal readers! Pretty please?

The Beast Within Us

Chapter Eleven: Arrested Development

Robin slowly opened his eyes. A soft groan escaped his lips and he weakly lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light. He remained that way for several minutes, not even bothering to stifle his small moans of pain as his eyes focused and adjusted. He placed a hand to his forehead as he pushed himself up on the cot he had been placed upon.

The room he was in was small, not more than 100 square feet, and did not take long to glimpse. It was boxed and grey, the only window being on the opposite wall though it was too small to provide a decent image and was obviously not connected to the outside world. He gingerly rose to his feet, noticing that wounds he did not remember acquiring had been dressed. He remembered fighting the Beast so as to _where_ he had gotten the wounds was of no mystery. But still, he would have expected to wake up in an infirmary of some sort, either at the Tower or a hospital. This, to say the least, was quite unexpected. So, as Robin observed a second cot chained to the opposite and the thick metal door which sported a few well placed dents, he asked what anyone else would.

"Where am I?"

"Robin! Is that you?" a voice said from the small window.

"Beast Boy?" Robin walked towards the window and carefully stepped onto the cot just below it, his muscles protesting all the while. A pair of familiar green eyes appeared between the bars that stood over the length of the window. Robin grasped the window to steady himself only to receive a small shock bit into his fingertips. Through the flailing of his arms and his incredible balance, Robin managed to not fall from the cot though he did groan at his agitated wounds. "You okay?" Robin nodded stiffly as he leaned against the wall. "Just sore." He grunted, placing a hand over his bandaged midsection. "Beast Boy, what's going on? Where are we?" Beast Boy's ears dropped as he bit his lip. "I'm not exactly sure _where_ we are because I just woke up five minutes ago, but I do know we've been arrested."

"Arrested?" Robin perked up in shock. "On what grounds?"

"I don't know. They just showed up, surrounded us, and the next thing I know I'm waking up here."

Robin's hand tightened against the cell's stone wall. "I lost control." He muttered as his memory became clear. "I remember trying to subdue you after you transformed, but after that . . ." Robin sighed in aggravation and rested his forehead against the wall. "Do you think we killed anybody?" Beast Boy asked, his voice unusually dead. Robin shook his head and clenched his eyes tightly. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

"How?" Beast Boy watched Robin step down from his cot and over to the large metal door. He took a breath, bracing himself for the pain to befall his battered body, and began pounding erratically at the door. "Dude! What are you doing?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, having only heard the ruckus as his small window did not offer a substantial view. Robin ignored him, continuing to trade kick after tackle on the door and grunting through the additional abuse to his already bruised body.

It seemed like forever before his efforts brought forth attention. "Keep it down in there, kid!" a muffled voice shouted from the other side. Robin pounded both his fists into the door again, wincing at the pain but ignoring it otherwise. "I want to talk to the captain!" There was a small pause before the voice mumble incoherently into a small radio. Robin pressed his head against the door and scarcely heard the static whispering on the other side. He heard a quiet scuffle of shoes and was nearly pushed off balance when the door began to move. It slid into the wall slowly, revealing a barred door with a small rectangular hole. Behind the door stood five well armed guards.

"Sorry for the excess security, Robin. Nothing personal." a guard said as he motioned to the hole. "Rather tight security for holding." Robin mumbled to himself as he placed his hands through. He had always wondered how the station had held their super powered criminals before they could get clearance to prison. He unconsciously held his breath as he felt a pair of cuffs encircle his wrists. As he withdrew his hand and took a step back, his mind ran worriedly through the scenarios that may have lead him and Beast Boy into this position. The door slide open and the guards brought their weapons up should he try to make a break for it. Being cuffed and on the wrong side of five stun guns aimed preemptively at him, Robin was more than happy to comply.

-----

"Here he is, Stg."

Hank sat expectantly at his desk as the guards lead Robin into his office. He winced inwardly at seeing the beaten and bandaged youth. He had heard that both teens had received extensive injuries during the scuffle. None life threatening, of course, or they would be joining their adversaries resting in a drug induced sleep at Sacred Heart. "Uncuff him."

The guard hesitated slightly but complied. Robin pursed his lips uneasily at the officer's reluctance. He and the Titans had always had good relations with the police. They were never on a social level, and there were even a few times the Titans had treaded on thin ice, but the two parties were always comfortable around on another. He could only wonder what had occurred during his transformation that would have caused such apprehension. "Leave us." Hank's order cut through the silence. The guards obeyed and Robin rubbed his wrists gingerly. Hank motioned for the chair and he sat as unease spread through his stomach. "Are you all right, son?" Hank asked, referring to his blatant bandages.

"I've felt worse." Robin replied dryly, deciding to get to the point. "What are the charges?"

"Property damage and public endangerment." Robin took a small gulp and his mouth grew tight. "Was anyone else harmed?"

"Thankfully not, though there were a few close calls. Mind telling me what's going on?"

"Someone had poisoned Beast Boy and I with some form of mutagen. We were tracking down whoever was behind it when the mutagen took effect." Hank nodded in acknowledgement. "The same stuff from before?" Robin sighed, not at all liking where this was going. "Not exactly. I need the pure version of this to make an antidote."

"And your other teammates?"

"Two are MIA and one won't be returning for a week."

Hank remained silent for several seconds as did Robin, as they both considered the situation, when Hank finally spoke. "We'll be sure to look into this immediately." Robin nodded. "Good, we could use the help." Hank looked at him dissentingly before responding. "Yes, we could." Robin's fingers dug into the armrests of his chair. His features stiffened slightly but he forced his voice not to express any mounting tension. "Sir, with all due respect, I'd feel better if Beast Boy and I were working on this case personally."

"Robin, I understand your position and I hope you'll understand mine." Hank took a handful of papers from a basket on his desk and began shuffling through them. "On your own you had caused extensive and near fatal injuries to three HIVE agents. Between the two of you, you have nearly demolished an entire block, caused thousands of dollars in damages and endangered all civilians in the immediate area." Robin looked away as Hank continued. "No one is holding you responsible for what had happened, but I simply cannot risk another Cindy Stalts."

"Beast Boy didn't hurt her!" Robin mumbled darkly.

"I know, but it easily could have been him. Look son, we'll get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, but until we do you'll have to remain in custody. Would asking for your cooperation be asking too much?"

_Yes! _Robin thought resentfully, but he knew there was no reason for it. Whether they meant to be or not, he and Beast Boy were a threat to the city. "No, sir, it wouldn't." Robin sighed. "You have my full cooperation."

-----

Beast Boy paced around his cell restlessly. He was careful of his wounds and stopped to tend to them once they began throbbing from his movements. He heard the door to the cell next to him open and he made his way to the connecting window. "Robin, what'd they say?" Robin made his way over to the cot below the window and sat with a grunt. "Could you come over here, Beast Boy? I talked Hank into disabling the field between our cells so we could at least talk face to face." Seconds later, Robin watched as a tiny green spider descended next to him before reverting to human form. "So if they did that, it's good news, right?"

Robin sighed but managed a small smile. "Well, it's relatively good news. We nearly destroyed an entire street, but no one was hurt. Well, except us." He said, motioning to the bandages that covered both their bodies. "The police are going to help use track down whoever poisoned us, but until they do we're stuck here."

"So, we're still arrested?"

"Pretty much."

Silence overtook the two. Beast Boy slowly drew his knees to his chest, wincing only slightly at his wounds. "We're really just going to sit here and do nothing?" Robin rested his chin on his thumbs and his elbows on his knees. "Well, there is one thing we can do." He turned towards Beast Boy. "We're going to end this."

"End what?" Beast Boy inquired as he arched a brow.

"If you haven't noticed, we don't exactly get along. We never really hang out and we barely know anything about each other. This has to stop."

Beast Boy nodded in agreement. "Okay, so where do we start?"

"Let's start at the beginning." Robin took a breath before continuing. "I was born on the first day of spring."

-----

Though the silence was thick, the tension had all but disappeared after each boy had finished telling his tale. Beast Boy noticed that Robin was still very guarded about his past and had revealed no names, save for that of Batman and other notable aliases. Despite that, he had learned more about him than he dared to reveal to the others, except perhaps Starfire. The obscurity had not bothered him much. Now the two sat in silence, absorbing all they had learned and recovering from revealing the most vulnerable parts of their past to each other. That is until a loud rumbling broke through the quiet.

Beast Boy blinked in surprise and looked over towards Robin. The older boy had a hand over his stomach and a pinkish hue covering his cheeks. "I . . . didn't have lunch." He explained. Beast Boy nodded, smirking inwardly at Robin's rare show of humility. "I'm getting hungry too. What time is it anyway?"

"Don't know." Robin shrugged. "They took my utility belt, but you still have your watch, right?"

Beast Boy pulled back his sleeve, revealing a small digital watch. "It's almost six. Hey! You think they'll let us order a pizza?"

"I don't see why not."

Beast Boy nearly leapt from the cot and began pacing around the cell, his hunger obviously stronger than this aches and pains. "Should we get two mediums or one large? I don't mind splitting a pizza just as long as there's no meat. But you said you liked black olives and mushrooms, right? Well, that's fine with me. Do you mind soy cheese? What about drinks?" Looking back at Robin, he saw the raven haired boy hunched over once again with his chin in his hands. His narrowed eyes and tight frown told Beast Boy that he was in deep thought though he doubted it was about what kind of pizza to get. "Uh, dude? Robin?" It took no more than a single wave before his face to cause Robin to jerk slightly in surprise. "Wha? Sorry, I was just thinking –"

"Well, duh."

"- as I was saying. If it's six, then the news should be airing soon, and I think I know what their top story's going to be."

"Teen Titans arrested." Beast Boy concluded. "Don't suppose that headline will be joining the collage in your work room, huh?"

"It's not our reputation that I'm worried about. What do you think is going to happen when the villains hear this?"

Beast Boy's ears perked up at that and he bit his lip at the image of the city's villains running amuck. "Well, I don't suppose we have much of a chance for a top story to outshine this one, do we?" Robin stood and paced, tapping his chin while doing so. "Maybe we have a better chance than we think. If we can't stop the headline, maybe we can change it a bit."

"To what? Teen Titans bust out of jail?"

"No, Beast Boy. We're not going to bust out." He turned towards the shape shifter with a knowing smirk on his lips. "We're going to get kidnapped."

To Be Continued. . . .

Looks like Robin's got a plan! Clever little lad, isn't he?

Yeah, the part with them talking about their lives was inspired from a scene in 'Switched'. There will be another one or two later in the story.

As for Robin's choice in pizza toppings, if you listen carefully in 'Final Exam' you can hear Robin suggesting they get black olives and mushrooms for their pizza. I like those toppings too. Great minds think alike I suppose.

So did you get the Easter Egg? Didja didja? Anyone who guesses right gets a digital cookie.

Don't forget to review too please! Remember, just 19 away from 100!

Next chapter preview!

Robin's plan goes into action and the two manage to get out of prison only to find their fears confirmed. The villains have taken advantage of the breaking news and began terrorizing the city. As the two dodge the ever present patrol cars and take out as many baddies as they can, fate finally smiles upon them as a friend returns to give them a much needed hand.


	14. Outbreak

A/N: Times up! Here's the Easter egg from the last chapter.

_None life threatening, of course, or they would be joining their adversaries resting in a drug induced sleep at **Sacred Heart**. _

Sacred Heart is the name of the hospital in which the characters of the TV series _Scrubs_ work. I looooove that show!

The Beast Within Us

Chapter Twelve: Outbreak

Police Stg. Craig Hank was skeptical when the Titans first formed. The sunny coastal city had once been one of minimal crime. There were robberies, drug busts and the occasional homicide, of course, but they were seldom lacking in man power to handle such occurrences. That was before Jump City found itself host to a criminal sideshow.

Plasmus was the first. Otto von Furth had been an innocent man, choosing to live his life peacefully as most do, until an accident had transformed him into a monster. No one was prepared when Plasmus attacked. The accident had taken up some of the police resources as several rescue calls had been issued. Hank had a feeling it would not have mattered. Their weapons had proven useless against the puddy like creature. It had gone on a rampage that lasted for several hours. Many citizens were left homeless or injured and it appeared as though it would not stop until the entire city was reduced to rubble. Finally, the creature passed out from exhaustion and reverted to the man many had presumed dead. While kept in a sedated, near sleep state, Otto eagerly offered himself over to the authorities in hopes that this would never happen again, and for a while it appeared so.

Most of the city had been untouched and there were no casualties, but it was too late. Jump City's vulnerability to supernatural creatures had been exposed. While similar monsters such as Cinderblock and Overload rampaged, super criminals such as Mumbo robbed banks and easily evaded the police. With the criminal activity rising and decrease of available man power, Hank had begun praying everyday for some form of relief or help from the chaos.

Eventually he got it, though it was not quite what he was expecting.

He had not believed the rumors that Robin had been spotted dashing in and out of the city's shadowed alleys. There was little reason to believe that Robin, as in _Batman's_ Robin, had taken up residence. First of all, there was the fact that Gotham City was on the opposite side of the country. Second of all, the Boy Wonder had disappeared for a year prior to the rumors and presumed by many to be dead, though his death was never confirmed. In spite of all that, the police force was desperate enough to hope. That hope was soon to appear founded as random criminals were discovered restrained and 'gift wrapped' for the officers apprehending them. Other reports came of a masked green child rescuing people in trouble from small time muggers and the likes. At the time, neither of the reports could be confirmed but the city's beaten and battered citizens were openly embracing the hope that they were true.

The first visual confirmation of the two vigilantes came when an alien girl, later accepted by the public as Starfire, had crash landed downtown. The city watched in amazement as a ragtag team of five teenagers fended off a terrifying alien threat. Many were optimistic that they would be the answer to the ongoing problem of super villains and monsters and were pleased when the team announced their position of city defenders under the title of 'Teen Titans'.

The Titans had proven to be just what the city needed. Any and all supernatural criminals were quickly taken care of. The crime rate returned to a steadier pace though the occasional super villain kept the Titans busy enough to justify the state financing the team and providing them with a place to live. The citizens had no problem paying the tax required to provide the teens that saved their lives with food and shelter.

Hank had found the Titans very easy to work with as well. He was half expecting them to be the same rebellious snots he normally had to face. To his surprise, Robin had politely shaken his hand and introduced the team one by one; each regarded him with a respectful nod and hand shake of their own. Their cooperation with the police was absolute, though as vigilantes they had the ability to overstep the boundaries as needed. There were the few formal complaints when a Titan would unwittingly use someone's car as a weapon in battle, but the majority did not mind at all.

Just as the city had done, Hank found he had a soft spot for the kids in spite of himself. That was why it was so hard to arrest them. The charges would be dropped if Robin were speaking the truth. There was no doubt in Hank's mind that he was and the two Titans would not be held accountable for what had happened. Regardless, it did not make his decision to incarcerate them easier.

"Sir!"

If Hank had been startled by the abrupt entrance the lower rank officer had made, he did a flawless job of masking it. Whether he had actually been taken by surprise would be impossible to determine. As his head snapped up at the entrance of Officer Jen Lowe and locked with uneasy look in her eyes, his heart rate jumped considerably. Even as a rookie, Lowe had seldom allowed critical situations to get to her. With just one glance at the steel-nerved woman's features contorted by urgency and panic, he knew instantly that something was very, _very_, wrong.

-----

"Help! Please!"

The sound of Beast Boy's cries and frantic banging on the cell door reverberated through the hall. The officers on duty responded fast and inside they found Robin lying motionless on the floor and Beast Boy near hysterics. They summoned paramedics while Lowe ran to alert Hank. "His heart has stopped." She brought him up to speed as they reached the Titans' holding cell. "We've begun resuscitation and the paramedics are on their way." Hank nodded calmly, his demeanor belying the worry he felt for the motionless teenager.

His eyes flickered towards Beast Boy. To say he looked beyond perturbed would be putting it lightly. With his ears folded back and eyes pulled wide in panic, his expression was easily reminiscent of a cat caught in headlights. "Beast Boy, what happened?" Hank asked as he approached him.

"I don't know." Beast Boy's voice struggled on feeble gasps of air. "We were just talking and he collapsed. I knew he wasn't joking. He'd _never_ joke about anything like this. I asked if he was okay, if he could hear me and I shook him but. . . he wasn't. . . he wasn't moving."

The hurried sounds of wheels and footsteps echoed through the hall. Everyone cleared a path for the paramedics and they quickly strapped Robin to the gurney. Once he was secured they began a swift retreat for the ambulance waiting outside. "Wait!" Hank turned to see Beast Boy's arm reaching out to the retreating paramedics as an officer pushed him back to his cell. "Please! Let me go with them!"

Hank was by no means a softly, but the look of absolute desperation and fear in Beast Boy's eyes was hard to ignore. He was dangerous, Hank reasoned with himself. True that neither Robin nor Beast Boy was at fault for their actions, but they were not in control of it either. That, in essence, made them more deadly. Hank could go on listing all the reasons why they needed to remain secure to himself for a good while. However there was something that told him, after everything the Titans had gone through from the moment of their formation and up to this point, that it would be worth the risk.

"Let him go. He's coming with us."

-----

As anticipated, the newshounds had crowded the police stations stoop like starved hyenas. Thankfully, they had sense enough to clear a path for the paramedics wheeling Robin to the waiting ambulance. Beast Boy skittered nervously behind as Hank gently pushed him forward, waving off various microphones and cameras all the while. They climbed into the emergency vehicle and Hank could not help feeling a twinge of satisfaction as the doors slammed shut, muffling the ceaseless inquiries from the press. With the screech of the ambulance siren they were off and Beast Boy was left to fidget nervously as the medical staff attempted to revive Robin.

Unable to watch, the green Titan shut his eyes tightly and looked away. Hank placed a hand on his shoulder but decided not to mumble words of false hope. Instead, the seasoned officer focused his gaze straight ahead, forbidding his eyes to waver even slightly. He often found it easier to concentrate when in the thick of an emergency when he could afford to. As the frantic sounds of medical equipment, paramedics, and the siren slowly faded into the back of his mind, Hank was left with himself and his accusing inner voice. _How could this have happened? Was he neglected medical treatment? _

Hank made a mental note to check the competency of medical staff that had treated Robin and Beast Boy. It was true that the former appeared to be perfectly healthy in spite of his injuries, but cardiac arrest would not have come up out of no where. _Perhaps he had a pre-existing condition they didn't look into._ It would not hurt to have someone look Beast Boy over again, he decided, just to be on the safe side.

**_It was a mistake to bring him along._** Hank narrowed his eyes at this thought. These internal battles were both unpleasant and unavoidable. In some ways he had thought of that as a good thing. They would force him to second guess himself and to look over his actions. While that was beneficial, he could go without arguing with himself. **_What if he transforms in the hospital?_** His conscious pressed on.

_He won't._

_**How do you know that?**_

_I don't, but he's under police supervision. That aside, I believe he can keep from transforming for a little while._

_**You trust him so much that you plan to keep him and Robin incarcerated until this is over?**_

_This is different. He's under supervision and this was an emergency. He'll only be out for a short while._

_**And what if this 'short while' is long enough for him to mutate? Police supervision or not, you know you won't be able to stop him if he does.**_

Hank found himself without an answer.

_**So make up your mind. Do you trust them or not?**_

_I do._

_**But why?**_

_Why?_an heif Hank mentally echoed to himself. Before he could ponder the thought any longer, an abrupt veer to the right tossed him out of his thoughts as well as his seat. Both he and Beast Boy flew forward off the small padded bench and into the nearest paramedics. Like a domino effect, people and medical supplies there thrust to one side of the cabin and an unfortunate pair of doctors found themselves between the side of the vehicle and Robin's gurney. The ambulance was caught in a fishtail and the occupants found themselves toppling left and right. Not that it mattered much, as a loud bang caused the medical crew to duck and cover.

"Who's shooting at us?" one of them cried.

"No one. A tire's blown." Hank said as the ambulance teetered uneasily. Another violent strike hit the vehicle and it tipped over on its side. The same two paramedics cried out in pain as the found themselves crushed beneath everyone's weight.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Did we get in an accident?"

Before any of the inquiries could be responded to, a thick cloud of mist covered them and a venomous voice snarled from behind it. "It's payback time, you scum!" Beast Boy looked up, his body slightly contorted from the impromptu dog pile. He recognized that voice as well as the figure shadowed by the water veil. It would not have mattered if he did not, because the mist spread quickly to reveal the side of the cabin completely missing and the owner of the voice glaring down from outside.

"Shimmer!"

-----

Shimmer winced at her bruises as she walked down the street. News had broken of the Titans' arrest and while she would have liked nothing more than to enact her revenge on the two, the thief in her would not allow her to miss out on this opportunity. As she casually browsed through the stores, deciding which to loot first, a distant explosion flared up from behind a short skyline. "Looks like I'm not the only once seizing the day." she said to herself. "I'll have to thank whoever that was for the distraction later."

Sure enough, all heads were turned towards the orange glow stretching above the distance roof tops. She slipped unnoticed into an electronic store and made her was towards one of the security cameras. With a subtle wave of her hand, she transfigured the camera's inner electronics to putty like substance, disabling it quickly and quietly. Once the other two cameras had met the same fate, she made her way towards the cashier. The televisions on display had replaced the Titans' well known arrest with images of the very explosion that had and continued to deter everyone's attention. Some customers had left, others were glued to the wall of screens and the cashier on duty was nearly oblivious to everything else. No one paid any mind as Shimmer discretely turned the air around him into knock out gas. She quickly slinked behind the counter to gently lower him to the floor as he slipped from consciousness. She reached up from her crouched position and turned the lock on the register into water vapor.

"We have a new development in our top story." The words carried by a female anchor's voice perked Shimmer's interest, even as she carefully pulled the register open. "Robin, one of the two Teen Titans incarcerated following a violent disturbance down town, collapsed in his holding cell. Paramedics are on the scene though his condition is currently unknown." Shimmer looked up from the roll of bills she was counting and at the live feed from the screens. Sure enough, Robin was shown being carted out on a gurney with a timid looking Beast Boy in two. Though the latter was still conscious, both were obviously injured, weakened and the former was all but defenseless.

"Perfect."

-----

"Shimmer!"

Shimmer grinned wickedly as she glared down at the injured Titan. Her smile only widened as she saw Robin lying limp against the gurney's restraints. "Stand aside, Green Jeans. It's your friend I want." Beast Boy's eyes were wild with fury.

"You can't! He's dying!"

"Well, that makes my job all the easier."

With a strangled growl, Beast Boy morphed into a jaguar and lunged towards the girl. Shimmer summoned a club from the air and struck the cat's side, sending him flying. "Freeze!" Hank barked, his hand gun posed dangerously at the criminal. Just as quickly as the command had been shouted, Shimmer extended a hand towards Hank, instantly turning his gun into Styrofoam. Hank dropped his gun as if he had been burned and stared at it with startled surprise. "What in the world. . .?"

"Look out!"

Overtaken by surprise, Hank only noticed Shimmer leaping towards him at the last second. She struck him across the head with her club, which evaporated shortly afterward. The strike had left him conscious, but the resulting concussion had him slumping over helplessly. Shimmer turned her attention towards the gurney, knowing well that the paramedics were not about to fight back. A quick wave of her hand reduced it to sand and Shimmer slipped an arm around Robin's waist. She waved her other hand and the sand molded into a firm platform, which she unceremoniously flung him over before climbing on herself.

Hank regained his composure just in time to see the mysterious villain escape with Robin at her mercy. With a shaking hand, he reached for his hand radio. "All available units respond! We have an emergency on South Brine Avenue." As Hank frantically summoned for assistance, his only hope lay on the green hawk he spotted as it pursued the villain.

-----

Shimmer touched down on a rooftop and tossed Robin's limp body across the concrete. "You're still warm and haven't gotten all rigor mortissy yet." she said as she swiftly stomped towards him. "Good thing too, or I wouldn't have had the pleasure of finishing you off myself." Her hands rose over her head, but no sooner did her trademark sparks begin swirling around her fingers did she hear a loud hawk cry. Turning towards the source of the sound, Shimmer was unable to determine what animal the bird had morphed into before a pair of green feet filled her vision. An angered cry ripped from her throat and as she tumbled on her back, she watched a green kangaroo morph into humanoid form. The mixture of pain and frustration coursing through her body caused it to tremble viciously. "I was going easy on you before, so it's only fair to warn you that I've had a _really _bad day, and I'm not playing nice anymore." Beast Boy told her as she slowly picked herself up. She glared at the Titan but managed a smirk.

"Do you think I'm afraid of you or something?"

"Actually, I do." Shimmer's eyes flared at the statement but Beast Boy held his ground. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Shimmer."

Not another word was spoken as Beast Boy morphed into a cheetah and sprinted towards her. With the distance between them closed so quickly, Shimmer had no time to react before he turned into a small goat and rammed her. The force was small but enough to knock the wind out of her and send her stumbling back a few feet. Beast Boy quickly morphed into a boa, before she could recover, and wrapped himself around her. As she choked for air, Beast Boy took care only to prevent her from taking in air without unwittingly crushing her insides. She would recover fast enough if she were to just pass out from lack of air as he hoped, but a broken rib or punctured or organ could have proven too much for her body to handle.

Shimmer struggled against the pressure and dizziness that seeped her strength away. What had remained of her air supply left her in an angered hiss, though her rage was only fueled further. Her hands began to spark and Beast Boy felt the warmth against his currently cold blooded body. Spikes appeared from between her fingers and would have stabbed his serpent body, but he had fortunately taken the warning sign as his queue to act. As a squirrel, he quickly scampered his way to a good foot of space between Shimmer and himself. _I can't keep using animal forms. Her body can't take it. _His mouth twisted as he watched her recover her breath before making a shaky attempt to get up. _And I can't tie her up. She'll just morph anything I use._

"Guess I'm doing this hand to hand." He muttered to himself. By that time, Shimmer had risen to unsteady feet. In spite of her lack of skill in combat, she was relentless, ruthless, and Beast Boy knew nothing short of a knock out would stop her. Feeling a tug of reluctance, he clenched his fists and eyes shut before forcing himself forward. _Rita, I know you've taught me never to hit a woman, but I hope you'll make an exception for this. _Beast Boy pulled a fist back and threw the punch before he could have second thoughts. He was expecting himself to cringe at the feeling of his knuckles on a girl's cheek. As it turned out, he did cringe, but for another reason entirely.

Beast Boy let out a sharp cry as he pulled his hand back and rubbed his busted knuckles tenderly. Opening his eyes, he saw a stone wall standing where Shimmer had previously been. Said stone wall disintegrated before his eyes to reveal the thief making a frantic and unsteady escape. "Oh, guess she does know when to quit after all." The immediate threat gone, he turned his attention to Robin and rushed towards his comatose companion. "Robin, can you hear me?" he asked, shaking his form for emphasis. When Beast Boy received no response, he pressed a finger to his neck to feel for a pulse. He held it there for several seconds before feeling a faint, slow pulse. With an unceremonious breath, Beast Boy released the air he had been holding. "Good, he's coming out of it."

With that thought in mind, Beast Boy perched himself on the roof and waiting for Robin's body to re-animate itself. The first two minutes ticked away uneventfully before a shallow and ragged breath racked Robin's chest. Beast Boy had perked up at that, thinking the agonizing wait and concern for his friend could be put to rest, but Robin slipped back into a motionless state. Five more minutes and not much had changed. Both his pulse and breath had become some what deeper and more regular but the boy remained unresponsive. Beast Boy squeezed his ankles as he sat cross legged next to him. Another three minutes and what little patience he had were more or less depleted.

Like a predator pouncing upon its prey, Beast Boy grasped Robin's shoulders and began shaking him. "Robin! C'mon, Robin, wake up!" Beast Boy had given up keeping track of time and, while it was only little more than a minute, it seemed like forever before a low moan slipped from Robin's mouth. His enthusiasm rejuvenated, Beast Boy began rattling is friend with more vigor. "Robin, I know you can hear me! Say something! Anything!"

"Stop shaking me!"

Beast Boy grinned sheepishly and threw his arms behind his back as Robin regained full consciousnesses. "It's not easy coming out of a trance like that, you know." He grumbled, rubbing his sore shoulder. Beast Boy only chuckled nervously in response as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't believe Shimmer took the bait like that." He said, deciding to redirect the conversation.

"I _told_ you she would." Robin smirked as he slowly sat up.

"Well aren't _we_ smart?"

"I like to think so."

Robin got up and brushed himself off. Shimmer had all but disappeared after her fight with Beast Boy. It was obvious that, despite her powers, she was not at all trained or suited for combat. He could only figure that as the reason why the Titans had never faced her before. "Still, a large part of our escape goes to you. That's some pretty good acting you displayed there."

"Are you kidding? That wasn't nearly as good as you playing possum!" Beast Boy responded. "Even though I knew you were in a trance the whole time, for a while there I seriously thought you were in trouble."

"Yeah, I've found knowing how to stop your heart through meditation to be rather effective."

"So, what now?"

Having finished sweeping the accumulated gravel from his uniform, Robin formed a fist with one hand and slammed it into the open palm of his other. "Now, we make sure the bad guys don't get any ideas."

"Yeah, about that . . ." Beast Boy said scratching his chin lightly. "I don't know if you saw, what with you feigning death and all, but the streets are a mess already. They didn't waste anytime."

Robin gritted his teeth slightly. "I was afraid of that." He mumbled softly. He turned and approached the building's edge to survey the damage. The city was a far cry from a war zone, but given what he saw, he had a feeling that could easily change. Fire sirens hummed gently from several blocks down where a dark column of smoke rose. Burglar alarms could be heard ringing from their otherwise anonymous pockets on the streets and the trade marks of the more notorious villains were already echoing their chaos through the city. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us." Robin sighed and placed his fists on his hips. "And we've still got our generous friend to track down as well. No sense in wasting any more time."

"Just the two of use against all of them?"

"We'll take them out one at a time. Maybe if word spreads that we're out, the criminals will take a hint."

-----

To Be Continued . . .

Okay I know that a 16 year old being able to put himself in a meditative trance and stop his heart is a little farfetched, but I tend to suspend my belief in a world where people can fly and shoot lasers from their eyes.

I know, long wait. I'm a slacker. There, happy now? This chapter was originally going to be longer, but I decided the wait had been long enough. The rest will be in the next chapter, I promise! Thanks to all who reviewed and I hope to see some more (reviews that is).


	15. Reunion

A/N: I swore to myself that I wouldn't let this story die and I meant it! Now on with the ridiculously delayed update!

The Beast Within Us

Chapter Thirteen: Reunion

There were few occasions in which Mumbo could display his talents out in the open. Being a performer at heart, the chance to be the center of attention was not a chance he could pass up. Neither was a good robbery, so with no Titans to stop him, he was free to indulge in both. His magic hat was already stuffed with hundreds of thousands of dollars and the street was filled with various magic props brought to life. "Why run away form a free show, folks?" With a wave of his wand, a pair of giant gloves appeared and picked up two hapless citizens. "Please, let us go!" one of them screamed as the props brought them towards their tormentor.

"Now, now there's not need to be afraid. Just relax and enjoy the show."

Mumbo gave his knuckles a quick crack before pulling back his sleeves. "For my next trick, I'll make your money disappear. Mumbo Jumbo!" A simple flick of the wrist was all it took for a stream of dollar bills and credit cards to pour out of the victims' pockets and into his waiting hat. From the shadows, Robin and Beast Boy watched the two struggle for freedom, even as their finances bled away. "Okay, so what's the plan?" Beast Boy whispered. Robin rested one hand against a brick wall as he crouched forward, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny the while. "We need to get that wand away from him."

"So? Just throw your birdarang at him and be down with it."

Robin rose from his crouched and turned to face Beast Boy with an arched brow. "I don't have my utility belt, remember?"

"Oh, right. They took it. Well, I could just transform into a . . . "

"No." Robin cut in with a hand held up for emphasis. "We need to take him by surprise. Besides," a small grin crept onto his face as he eyed the various objects discarded in the alley. "- birdarangs aren't the only things I can throw, you know."

A grouping of giant gloves applauded wildly as Mumbo finished draining the resources from another trapped victim. "Thank you! Thank you! You've been a terrific audience!" With both arms stretched over his head, the blue magician bowed at his inanimate stage crew and those he robbed and restrained. After a series of bobs and a thunderous roar from the gloves, he rose with his hands once again waving and taking in the praise. "I'm afraid my next, and final, trick will be a disappearing act, but I hope to see at the next venue - ah!"

The surprised gasp came at the courtesy of a well aimed trash can lid, which struck his right hand and sent his wand flying. Just as he turned to see who had thrown it, a green cheetah ran by and grabbed the wand. Mumbo only caught the cat out of the corner of his eye as his attention was mainly on Robin, who was soaring towards him with a flying kick. Mumbo gaped before waving a hand and a giant glove grabbed the youth's cape. Robin grasped his collar to prevent choking as two gloves assaulted Beast Boy. "Aren't you two supposed to be in jail?" he asked, perplexed.

"We got out on good behavior." Robin grunted as he unfastened his cape. He sprung forward from his landing and tackled one of the gloves that had pinned Beast Boy down. The other met a rather nasty end as the green feline tore it mercilessly with his formidable claws. The wand dropped from Best Boy's jaws and Mumbo reached for it. Seeing this, Robin kicked the wand away as he was too busy wrestling with the glove to grab it himself.

The wand skidded across the street and Mumbo rushed after it. Beast Boy, having destroyed his enemy, pinned Robin's to the ground so that he could pursue the villain. Robin grabbed Mumbo's cape as Beast Boy bounded off the other glove and past them both. "Well, Robin, if you wanted a show, you should have just asked." Mumbo waved his arms in the air. "Here. Pick a card."

A deck of cards came flying from Mumbo's palms and pelted Robin in the face. He kept hold of Mumbo's cape through it, though oddly enough, he felt the material morph from that of cloth to fur. As the card storm diminished, Robin found himself holding onto a flap of skin from a bear. An angry bear. "Uh oh . . ."

Meanwhile, Beast Boy was just about on the wand when a King of Spades appeared before him. The character in the large card grinned malevolently before striking down with his axe. Beast Boy let out a screech and retreated with the card hot on his tail. Robin was likewise being chased, dodging claws and teeth every now and then. Unable to outrun the raging animal, he kicked off a light post and flipped over the bear, landing on the arch of the bear's back. Though stronger and faster, he had not the versatility of the acrobatic teenager.

Robin saw Beast Boy and his chaser running right for him. He locked his eyes with his friend, whose feline head nodded in acknowledgement. As the two closed in with their enemies not far behind, they both ducked, causing the magical items to strike one another. The bear exploded into a flock of white pigeons and the card was sliced in two.

"Mumbo Jumbo!" More magical minions appeared with the call of the incantation. "They outnumber us, but they're not very bright." Robin mumbled to Beast Boy as the two found themselves quickly surrounded. "Let's use that to our advantage." Robin made a break through the crowd as a stream of enemies followed behind. Beast Boy remained in the thick of the other half of enemies, morphing into a squirrel and leading them about. Robin led his trailing enemies towards Mumbo. "You don't honestly think you can get my own creatures to attack me, do you?"

"Of course not." Robin replied with a grin.

Mumbo created a glove to serve as a body guard, which Robin simply ducked and rolled under. Springing up, he grabbed Mumbo's wrists and forced them into the air. "Now!" A green cat leapt from the carnage and grabbed the wand with his teeth. He rebounded off of Robin's back and landed on the sidewalk, morphing into a gorilla and breaking the wand in two.

"Nooo!" Mumbo screamed as his props and costume vanished. His stolen money came streaming from his normal pant pockets and his freed victims hit the ground painfully, but relieved. The two were quick to restrain the man before he could make a skittish escape, deciding to take their leave as sirens swelled the air. "Let's move."

With that, Beast Boy morphed to a pterodactyl and carried Robin away.

-----

Johnny Rancid and Mad Mod proved to be easier targets, as neither had the opportunity to set up a mechanical menace or elaborate mind control devices. Between taking out them, the small time muggers that decided to take up on the opportunity and dodging patrol cars, rumor had spread that the Titans were still on the loose. Thankfully, the criminal activity had gone down but some of the hard hitters were still at large. One such criminal was the recently escaped Control Freak and currently, Robin and Beast Boy were being chased by the couch potato's monsters brought to life.

"Dude! I don't know how much more I can take!" Beast Boy panted as he and Robin turned a corner. Robin remained silent, though echoed his friend's thoughts as he heard a large crash of his pursuers behind him. Weaponless, injured, and hungry, the two were quickly running out of steam. "We're going to have to try and loose them!" Robin panted back. "Can you fly?"

Without a word, Beast Boy morphed into a pterodactyl and carried Robin to the sky. He maneuvered through the low rooftops as the lizard like creature chasing them increased its speed. Robin cringed as he looked over his shoulder, watching buildings take damage in their wake. "It's no good! We're going to have to make a full retreat." Beast Boy nodded and took to the skyline. He took a sharp turn behind an upcoming pair of buildings and virtually disappeared before the creature's eyes, forcing it to stop and wait for its next command.

Taking shelter on a local rooftop, the two collapsed against a tool shed. "So, what's the plan?" Beast Boy gasped. Robin sighed in between heavy breathes as he propped his arms on his knees. "We can't do anything until we regain our strength. I'd say we return to the tower, but if the police catch us out and about, we'll have a lot to answer for. More specifically, if they see _me_ out and about and . . . well . . . not in cardiac arrest."

"So what do we do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?!"

"Nothing." he repeated. "We've done all we can so far. The immediate threat has been taken care of. We'll just have to rest and hope no one spots us."

"Not likely!"

The startled Titans looked up to see Control Freak standing upon a mutant manta ray that floated in a stilled hover. "Hey! The manta rays from Mutant Sea Creatures part six aren't supposed to fly!"

"Beast Boy, I don't think they're supposed to be able to survive outside of water either. . . "

"Foolish Titans! Your defeat is imminent! Surrender and I might let you live!"

"What do we do, dude? We can't fight him like this!"

Robin sighed, gritting his teeth. "Either way, we're at his mercy, but surrender is the last thing we'll do!"

"Then prepare to be destroyed!" Control Freak hollered. "Onward, by loyal beast!" The two Titans held their ground, tensing up and sneering as the manta ray flew towards them. "Get ready . . ." Robin hissed. Sweat pooled down both of their foreheads as the distance between their enemies drew smaller, but their grimaces turned to shock when black energy engulfed the sea creature. Control Freak toppled back and forth as the ray was thrown about before he lost his footing. The same black energy overtook a set of clothing lines and sent them wrapping around the criminal. He sputtered in miffed surprise as he found himself suspended upside down and watched his remote fall into Robin's hands and a quick push of a button vanquished the monster.

"I heard you guys were stirring up trouble, but I didn't know it was this bad."

The boys turned towards the source of the voice, their faces breaking into relieved smiles.

"Raven!"

-----

A/N: So uh, Crazy Girl Person? How you, uh, how you comin' along on that fanfic? You know, the one you've been working on for three years? Gotta, gotta MS Word document open there? Gotta story you workin' on? Got a dialog; beginning, middle and end? Workin' on that for some time, huh? Talkin' about that three years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Gotta story brewin' there? Hmmm?

At this point, I know a lot of people have given up on this story. I don't blame them. But, I will finish this if it kills me! You hear that?! I'm hoping it won't because I've got a lot of other stories in the works, but eh.

So if anyone's still reading this, uh, review and tell me I'm a big goobery slacker.


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